Destiny Part IV: Heralds of Night
by Run the Jewels
Summary: "Have you heard of the Black Garden?"
1. Opening

_Destiny, The Coming Night Part IV_

_Heralds of Night_

_After centuries on the shadows, he has made himself known. Pride, Herald of the Night, enigmatic leader of the seven Heralds and the younger twin brother to Aro. It was the two of them, all those years ago, who brought about the end of the Golden Age with Aro himself being one of the many casualties. Now this man, more powerful than any enemy the Will of Light has ever faced moves against the City. He will stop at nothing to bring about his vision of the future; the Darkness brought to Earth, the Traveler and it's servants destroyed and peace for humanity under his and his brother's absolute rule._

_This story follows an AU of Destiny 1 and is the 4th in a series of seven. _


	2. A Promise Kept

_You wouldn't believe the amount of editing and re-editing I had to do for this entire story. Character arcs, story elements and other such nonsense. But here we are and I have to say, I am very excited_

_The opening to book 4 is Period by Chemistry_

* * *

**A Promise Kept**

"_NO! NO, LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" _

Aro's heart is screaming in his chest. His skin was on fire, his body was on fire, the whole world was set ablaze from a distance and yet, all he could think to do was run to it. Run into the flames, run and retrieve something. Something important, something needed, something he knew, _just knew_ he could not live without. Hands on his arms, on his shoulder, pulling at him. Dragging him back, begging him not to go. Not to leave.

Suddenly, the light exploded; a shower of sparks and flames and Aro's screaming only grew loud enough to drown it all out.

Aro bolted upright, heart still racing, trembling hands beating the embers from his skin. His mind takes seconds to register and even then, Kain had to guide it along. He was in his room, in bed. At the Tower, the City. He was home. He was safe.

He didn't feel safe.

"Kain?" he called hoarsely. The Ghost came whizzing closer, it's one blue eye blinking in concern. "Do you see it?" Aro simply asked.

"Yeah, I see it. Another memory?"

Aro coughed. "Maybe." He slipped from beneath the covers, getting his feet on the carpeted floor, letting the sunlight flowing in warm him up and chase the thoughts away. A few seconds into basking and he noticed he was alone. "Daniel's gone?" he asked, turning back towards the empty spot on the bed.

"Left rather early," Kain answered, "He didn't say anything about where he was going."

Aro sighed. "He usually tells me."

"Maybe he thought you needed the rest," Kain offered. Aro wanted to believe it. Instead, he began to look around, check the bed, his things, Daniel's things. Ensure nothing had burst into flames or dissolved into the void while was in the clutches of his nightmares.

He pushed himself to stand and prepared himself for the day, little time for idleness or dwelling. In all honesty, it should have been him who was up and about early. Normally, he would chastise his Ghost for not waking him but of all the times Kain decided that Aro would benefit from further sleep, Aro had yet to name a case where he had been wrong.

Nevertheless, he had somewhere to be. Commander Zavala, after a year, had finally lifted the restrictions Aro and his clan had been saddled with after their incursion into the Vault of Glass. For a year, they went where they were told, did whatever they were told wherever they had been sent and then returned to the City, no detours, no explorations.

Reactions were varied across the clan but only the Titans lacked a consensus between them. The Warlocks, Aro included and Sora especially enjoyed the extra time they could dedicate to other, more academic interests. For the Hunters, it was hell on earth. Nothing was worse for the likes of them to be cooped up within the City and Cayde was all too happy to revel in their complaining, even if he did sympathize. Misery always did love its company.

Kain contacted Amanda, had her prep their ship while Aro left his dorm and went to find something to eat. The mess hall was relatively empty, the morning rush over and done with. Aro managed to find a table off to a corner to be alone with his thoughts and avoid what occurred pretty much any time he showed his face in public.

The battle with the Heralds at the entrance to the Vault was far from quiet. On the contrary, they had been witnessed opening the Vault door. All anyone knew is that a team of Guardians had managed to get into the Vault and that they all shared a clan, the Will of Light. News spread quickly and now people, civilians and Guardians alike, all whom he had never met, were greeting him by name; badly pronounced for the most part.

And it wasn't just him. Daniel's brother told them that people asked about Daniel at the foundry. Crona's brother said their names had come up in Consensus meetings more than once, much to Zavala's irritation. Asura and Erek had even been accosted for autographs, much to their supposed and smug delight. It was slow going but over the course of a year, their clan had gone on to become a well-known name across the City and with Aro as its leader, it placed directly at the center of all the attention.

The exact opposite reason their clan was formed.

Spread news of the Heralds, former Guardians turned to and twisted by the Darkness they had been tasked with giving humanity over, had the potential to would rip the City apart. The Gate they seek, one that would allow the Darkness to return to Earth in a fraction of the time had been sealed inside of Aro long ago, by actions of his own that he could not remember. Its first opening brought on the Collapse. The Heralds would see it happen again. The Will of Light was a clan of specific Guardians brought together by circumstance, to fight a war in the shadows. Being a household name was _not _helping and neither were the stares Aro still received while he tried to eat.

They hadn't heard from the Heralds in a while. After significant confrontations such as with the Devil Servitor and Gluttony's death, they always went back into hiding, kept a low profile. Aro dreamed about them. The dead ones, the still living. His brother, the first Herald and Aro's only equal in responsibility for the Collapse especially.

Visions, he reminded himself. They were visions. They were not dreams, nonsensical and forgettable. The realization that they may have never been dreams but visions of the world beyond what could readily be seen and even some of the future scared the hell out of him. He still remembered his very first visions. Floating in pitch blackness, monsters tearing him limb from limbs, seven pairs of horrible red eyes watching as they did. Barely alive for more than a day and he could already feel the Heralds' presence from what must have been entire planets away.

Then there was Wrath(A), the reason they had to break into the Vault in the first place. Aro had seen it too, predicting his betrayal. Visions of what was and what may come were not uncommon amongst Warlocks during intensive meditation sessions, especially the experienced and powerful such as Ikora Rey and Ulan-Tan. But Aro was not experienced nor did he require effort. They just came to him, brute forced their way into his mind and regularly denied him his peace.

Ikora confided in him that Osiris had suffered the same. His "Lost Prophecies" as his zealous sycophants called them were just some of the visions he received. More and more often was he was being compared to that and now Aro was beginning to find himself vehemently disliking a man he had never met, but only because their comparisons frightened him.

"You're thinking about it," Kain suddenly said, breaking their silence.

Aro took in the last spoonfuls of food. "Don't know if you noticed but you're not the only one in my head." He stood with his plates, ignoring the eyes on him. He made their conversation internal. _"I'm just frustrated, Kain. I run everything through my mind again and again and all I get is more questions than answers, if any answers at all._"

He trudged out of the mess hall towards the Hangar. "_And what's worse is that I know just how I can get answers. About my past, what I am, why everything that has happened actually happened." _Arinze and Evelyn. His father and mother, told to him by Pride, his brother. It was all he would divulge, Aro still did not know his surname, where he had been born or grew up. Bait to draw him in.

Kain understood. "_It has to be a trap. It would be ridiculous to let you walk away once he's gotten you. If he's that arrogant…"_

"_Or confident." _

"_Then he's not as much as a threat as he claims to be." _

"_And yet, he is." _

Aro quickly found his ship, prepped with the engines humming, though Amanda was nowhere to be found. Kain summoned his armor to his person, replacing his regular clothing as he entered and closed the door behind him. "Setting coordinates."

"Meridian Bay, Mars," Aro said, "You know the place."

"Locked in." The engines rose in volume and power. The ship's entire frame began to tremble until they were slowly floating towards the open bay doors. "Do you want to call the others? Tell them where you're headed?"

"No." Aro waved the suggestion off, "Let them go about their business."

"And Daniel?" he asked, knowing that Aro was already thinking about him.

"If Daniel or anyone asks, I'm away. Nothing more."

"As you say. Launching…"

* * *

Aro had missed Mars, which was strange for a few reasons. For one, he had been here multiple times, even after the restrictions had been implemented. Disrupting Cabal supply lines, assassinating enemy leaders, gathering materials for the gunsmiths and Cryptarchs. Secondly, there was little objective difference between this planet and the rest; all lost in the Collapse to hostile invaders, all needing to be reclaimed.

But unlike the other planets, there were no terrible events in his life that he could associate with this place. Earth, Venus, Luna, all held bad memories; Venus, the most recent. Even after a year, he still did his level best to avoid the entirety of the planet. The entire clan did.

So through elimination, Mars had become his favorite. Feeling the red sand crunch beneath his boots, scaling the mountains and hills, staring out the massive spires that had once belonged to humanity, this place had become special to him. And because no one knew how special, it became even more so. In regards to the clan, out of the entire system, Mars felt like it was his place; a planet he could come to get away from it all, even if there were still other Guardians running around.

A trio of them was here now, waving in greeting as they sped past on their Sparrows. Aro watched them move on, saw one Titan nearly and probably intentionally ram himself into a Cabal Legionnaire from a nearby firebase and disappear past the rising dunes. Only then did he continue on his business.

He sought out a certain formation of rocks away from the transmat point of the Scablands, two upright slabs of stone with a third lying over them, leaving a small entrance way from him to drop and crawl through.

Kain appeared, opening up to illuminate the small cave. Aro moved to sit before the wall its back. Against it was a small grey stone, stark against the constant red. Toland's Ghost had loved the Moon as well as Mars. So, in respect, the exiled Warlock had marked his burial on Mars with a simple lunar stone.

Aro had taken to calling him Toland more and more often, instead of the name Pride had given him. Gluttony, the Voidwalker; twisted and corrupted by his pursuit of knowledge, a pursuit that drove away every person he had loved and who had loved him. A cautionary tale to all Warlocks.

The man had saved his life back in the Summoning Pits. Aro will never understand how it happened, how he was able to connect with Toland after being killed by the monster that he had become but he did. Toland helped Aro break the safeguards on his full powers, allowing him to pull himself and his Ghost back from the brink of death. His last request to Aro before he was finally put down was to ask the younger Warlock to make a visit to the grave of his Ghost; his first, closest and most steadfast friend. So much had happened since then but Aro never forgot his promise, even when he could not keep it.

Aro sat before it in silence, though his mind was never as quiet as he himself could be. He knew that Toland and Vell had been involved though what details he learned had come from Toland's journal. They had been happy, at the start. Eriana-3 would tease Toland incessantly with Vell receiving the same treatment from his own family, his older brother being the worst culprit. They were very, very much in love.

Then everything went downhill. Toland began delving deeper and deeper into Hive arcana, performing dangerous experiments, putting the integrity of himself and his fellow Guardians at risk until the Speaker and the Vanguard were forced to intervene. Every single one of his relationships was left in tatters and no one could be blamed but himself.

To make matters worse, his exile drove Vell further and further down. Turned the upstanding Titan into a man who would go on to make a deal with the worst devil Aro knew and suffer for it. He wondered, wherever the Heralds remained, if Toland would ever just look at Vell, now called Greed, at his sickly pallor, his cold red eyes, the look of brokenness he always held and know that he had a hand in the man's downfall. This man he supposedly loved suffered before and suffered now because of his past actions.

Aro respected Toland. He was grateful to the man for saving his life and would keep his promise to visit his Ghost as much as he could but he absolutely hated being compared to him, even to the point of preferring the comparisons to Osiris. He looked at how Toland loved Vell, how they had started and progressed. How they were very slowly pushed apart by the Toland's actions and Aro saw too many similarities to himself and Daniel to be comfortable with it. He wanted to be better. For Daniel, for both of them but something drove Toland to the lengths that it did and judging by what he witnessed in that dark future, Aro was far from immune. If anything, he was susceptible.

Kain suddenly disappeared. "Aro, we have company."

Aro had kept his helmet on, he could see the red crawling up on his radar. He gave the small grave a few more seconds of regard before crawling back through the opening and out into the sun again. A contingent of Sand Eaters advanced on his position, still enough of a distance away to not have seen where he had been. How they had found him in the first place was anyone's guess and he wasn't interested in thinking further on it. He just wanted them gone.

"You have no business here, Cabal," he said, knowing full well that they either could not understand or would not care, "Walk away now or rot in the sand."

One Cabal at the front, armor more ornate than the others stomped his foot angrily. He lifted his gun up to his throat and dragged it across, a very human gesture and Aro took it for what it was. He understood what Aro was saying and that he had made his decision.

Aro reached behind him and detached Hawkmoon, the silver glint in the sun a blindingly clear final warning. The Cabal began to circle him, growling and threatening in that guttural language of theirs. Dogs before a slaughter.

What were dogs to a wolf?

The Cabal charged. Aro aimed and blew off the helmet of the closest Legionnaire in a shower of metal and sludge. The choking Cabal pitched forward into Aro, who ran up before it fell and propped its heavy frame up, using the newly made corpse as a body shield while he took down the two on its flank.

He Blinked backwards, letting the Legionnaire's dead body hit the ground and just barely avoiding a Phalanx's shield bash. Fire at the feet, fire at the head. Then twist around to avoid the one who thought it could take him from the side and pump two shots into its spine.

One by one, they fell. Each one that did only served to increase the ferocity and desperation of those they left behind. Not that it served them any better, it only ensured they made more fatal mistakes. Aro stepped to the side to let yet another corpse fall onto the group, Solar Light blackening and melting its armor when he suddenly found himself rocked, a heavy weight barreling into him, knocking him off his feet and rolling into the hot sand.

The last of the Cabal, their leader, delivered a thunderous kick to his side, reducing half his ribcage to pieces and sending him hurtling through the air to make a hard landing on the ground. Aro coughed, feeling warmth dripping down his lips as he forced himself to his hands and knees. The bones of his ribs writhed beneath his skin, his Ghost pushing them all back into place.

The Cabal's stomping sounded from a distance, growing closer and closer. Aro kept his position, a palm to his assisted side to feel for when Kain had finished and to hide his hand. The Cabal leader thought nothing of it, too wrapped in rage and shame for caution.

Fatal mistakes. As soon as the creature was over him, the hand at Aro's side was suddenly thrown outward, a shotgun wrapped within. With a resounding boom and an agonized, enraged wail, the Cabal leader dropped to the ground, its knee in tatters.

Aro got back to his feet, attaching the shotgun to his back and retrieving Hawkmoon. He lifted and fired the pistol into the other leg, earning another scream. The Cabal still lived, even as pieces of its kneecaps littered the ground around it. Aro watched him writhe in agony and found himself filled with nothing but apathy and contempt. When he spoke, his voice sounded so different. "Why did you come here?"

The Cabals only response was to turn its eyes onto him, recognizing his voice, his question. Aro took off his helmet and let it fall to the ground, spitting out a globule of blood before continuing. "The Fallen are driven by desperation," he said, "The Vex by directive. The Hive, zealotry. But you Cabal have no true reason, do you? You're just murderous warmongers, barreling through all in your path simply because it amuses you."

He squat down before it. "Is that what you hoped when you marched here? That you'd trample over me like you trample over lives, over worlds? Kill a Guardian, win yourself glory and renown among your ranks. What did it get you, Cabal? Nothing but a dead squad. A dead squad and three bullets." Aro fired his weapon a third time, this time into the Cabal's chest, creating a fountain a black oil from punctured metal. The Cabal barely made a sound, its mind already shutting down. Aro leaned closer, he wanted it to hear him. "What happens next doesn't matter in the slightest, as far as you're concerned." The Cabal's trembling hand reached out for him and he knocked it away. "No matter what happens, none of you survive. None at all. And believe me when I say, I will take comfort in that when it happens. One way or another."

He rose to his full height and held out his palm. He called the Light forward, focusing on the world behind the world. He could feel wisps of the void dripping from his eyes, into the air. The Cabal had gone completely quiet and still, its laboring chest the only sign that it was still alive. "Until that day comes," he said, "I'll just have to settle for enjoying this." The Void sphere in his hand expanded, blinding the both of them.

The explosion kicked sand into the air, maybe high enough to be seen for miles. Kain appeared over his shoulder when the dust had settled and looked over the remains. "Yeesh."

"Don't be ridiculous. He didn't feel a thing." Aro shook his head, trying to clear the fog and the developing headache. He was feeling more like himself again though he had barely felt any change in the first place. Just more unsolvable mysteries to keep him awake at night.

"The nearby Cabal base must have seen that," Kain said, "I'll bring the ship into range, we can stay there." Aro felt no reason to argue. When the ship came into view, he left behind a gruesome scene; Cabal corpses slowly burrowing into the ground and a spot of hardened sand, stained black and still smoking.

* * *

The sun was rising on a new day when Aro returned to the Tower. Still too early for most people to be walking around aside from Aro's fellow restless. Normally, he'd check in on his clan, knowing that some would be up and about; Mira in the gyms, Aashir in the labs. Then there was the myriad of other things that required his attention. But at the moment, he was in no mood for the looks he would get from them, whether they be intentional or deliberate.

Wariness, on occasion. Pity was a constant. If he was really lucky, Aro would get a look of startled confusion before the person reminded themselves that it was in fact, not Pride, Herald of the Night, checking up on their wellbeing. In Shino's case, it was coldness at best and outright distrust or disdain at worst. Nothing between them had improved in the year since the revelation. The big Titan would laugh and smile and joke around with literally every other member of the team then do a complete 180 when talking to Aro. It got to the point where Aro would have Kain just send him messages rather than speak to him just so he wouldn't have to deal with that frosty glare.

Aro was still struggling to adjust. He had never lost a friend like that before. He held out hope that, maybe, things between them could improve but part of him felt that he was just setting himself up for disappointment.

Daniel, he would search out though. The man did indeed attempt to contact him, as did Asura and Crona. Aro made his way through the plaza, ignoring the whispers and the stares until he reached the bounty board and saw that they had opened the back part of the Tower. From where he stood, he could see a Hunter speaking to another Guardian, a Titan in shimmering, ornate golden armor and a dark cape flowing from considerable shoulders. Dark skin, dark hair with slight bits of gray that caught in the morning sunlight. The Guardian he was speaking to nodded her thanks and strode off. Then the Titan spoke, loud enough for Aro to hear but still with a sense of effortlessness. "Warlock. Approach."

After looking around to see if there was anyone else the man could have been talking to, Aro climbed the short staircase and stopped before him. "Lord Saladin," he greeted, "An honor."

Lord Saladin looked him up and down, measuring him up. Then he responded, "Vaultbreaker. Likewise."

Shaxx had taken to calling him that. Aro shouldn't have been surprised to know that it would spread. "Don't look so surprised, Arochukwu. News spreads fast, even as far away as I am."

"Did Commander Zavala tell you? Or Ikora?"

The man shook his head. "Shaxx. But only so that he could take credit for training you." His hands clasped together before him. "What you did was extraordinarily risky, Arochukwu as well as disrespectful to your Vanguard. But still, your reasons were honorable. I can't help but think I would have done the same for one of my own."

"You know our reasons?" Aro asked.

"I know everything." Saladin leaned slightly closer and brought his voice down, "There's a reason I was able to recognize you so easily."

Aro's hands clenched involuntarily. Either not noticing or ignoring his stunned state, Saladin continued, "The likeness between you and..._him_ is uncanny. But up close, I can see the differences that set you and your brother apart. Pride or Kain, he looks weathered. Older, a little haunted, a man who's been shell-shocked long enough to be completely immune to it. Not even in that old." he said, "You? You just look sleep deprived."

That earned Saladin a small laugh and some measure of relaxation from Aro. "If you're interested in competing, Arochukwu, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint. Regardless of your accomplishments, regardless of this raw power both Ikora and Shaxx speak highly of, the Iron Banner tournament is for the top tier of Guardians. Those who have achieved rank IV."

"Ikora and Shaxx speak about me? What do they say?"

"Plenty of comparisons to Osiris for one." Aro's face instinctively twisted into a frown, "I, for one, find it strange. I personally already hold you in higher regard than I hold him. You've yet to run off and abandon your duties in pursuit of your own selfish interests."

"My interest is my duty. Stopping Pride and the Heralds."

A small smile graced his otherwise hard face. "Lucky us." He turned his gaze to a trio of Guardians approaching. "Will you be taking the Trials soon?"

"We don't feel very prepared yet."

"Take the time you need." He waved Aro off, "We will speak when you are ready."

* * *

_I'm currently in the process of revamping Books 1 and 2 to make the writing style more streamlined. They were the very first stories I've ever written and I feel like I've changed a lot as a writer since then. I plan to finish each book in its entirety before I upload them_


	3. Dreaming the Inevitable

**Dreaming the Inevitable**

* * *

"Knock, knock," Aro shoved open the door to one of the shooting ranges in place of actual knocking. It was early but the room was empty, the halls were empty so he was as loud as he pleased.

Asura, alone and with a Vestian Dynasty trained at a far away Cabal target, nearly leapt out the skin he didn't have. "Aro!" He put his free hand to his chest. "Damn it, I'm holding a gun! Why would you sneak up on me like that?!"

"I opened a door, Asura. Settle down." Aro closed said door and dropped with a groan into one of the chairs next to it. Asura's eyes followed him, holding that usual irritating glint of amusement. "What?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you look sleep deprived?"

"No. Never," was all Aro responded. Asura hummed and turned back to the Cabal silhouette, letting off two shots dead center on the forehead. "Bit early for all this, isn't it?"

"Room's soundproof."

"I mean, you. You're up early."

His friend shrugged. "Didn't feel like sleeping so I figured I'd go shoot something. Tire myself out." He let the sidearm's empty clip fall and clatter onto the table, immediately loading in another. "Besides, if I'm up early, what does that make you?"

"Sleep-deprived."

Asura snorted. Aro allowed himself a small smile. Then he asked, "How have you been feeling?"

Asura already had the sights aimed down and his finger was frozen on the trigger. He sighed and let his arms fall. Nearly every day for the last year has he had to hear that question and all its variations. It was well-meaning but it was all a polite, roundabout way of asking a very different question. Asura started seeing past it long ago and if he was alone with the asker, he would just answer directly. "Wrath's been quiet. Very quiet, since we left the Vault. He would surface now and again but other than that, he hasn't said a word or done anything overt."

Aro nodded. "Good. There were times I worried. Like that last match in the Crucible…"

"Hey! Not every time that I do something impressive means Wrath has taken over."

Aro's lips quirked again. "Is that why we still lost?"

"That's what we get for allying with randoms. Not our fault the other half our six man team didn't know how to capture zones." He unleashed a rapid barrage of shots. None fell below the target's neck. "Shaxx says 'Control', these people hear 'Clash'. Shaxx says 'capture and defend', these fools try to outshoot a Golden Gun while the enemy has a power play!"

"Yeah, Katrina really kicked us around, didn't she?"

"Do you know how many drinks I had to buy her?!"

"Well, maybe you won't talk such a big game next time." Aro leaned back against the wall, stretching his legs out and realizing he was still in his armor. Before the restrictions, he would barely notice when he was still wearing them. But that was only when he was out in the field for days or weeks at a time. He had figured it would take some getting used to again. Silently, Kain asked if he wanted them removed. Aro just shook his head no.

Asura, armorless, noticed the movement. "Hey, you got Hawkmoon on you, right? You mind if…"

Aro simply shrugged and unholstered the weapon, tossing it over. Asura caught it by the muzzle and then flipped it, holding the silver up to the light. "I know I say it a lot but this is a _beautiful_ gun." He called up another target, Hive this time, and took aim. "What mods have you made to it?"

"None. Works fine." Aro pulled in his legs and stood, desiring a closer view.

"Yeah, but it could always work better, couldn't it?" He fired off two shots, dead center on the torso. "They made this thing with an exotic shard. The things it could do."

"I'll take it up with Cayde then."

"See that you do." He fired off seven more shots, all in quick succession aimed at the head. "A gun like this shouldn't go to waste." He handed the half-empty hand cannon back to Aro and called the target forward. Seven shots fired, two to make up eyes, four for a mouth and one tiny bullet sized button nose, earning Aro's good-natured look of scorn.

"I'm starting to think you want this gun for yourself, Asura." Aro had his Ghost return the weapon to his vault after Asura handed it over and returned to his chair.

"I certainly wouldn't mind if you felt like donating." Asura propped himself up on the table facing him, staring off to the side. He turned back and then asked. "Have you been having...dreams since we left the Vault?"

"I've been having weird dreams since the night I was first revived. Be specific."

Asura shook his head. "Right, right, I mean…" he hesitated, struggling to put the words together. "I've had some dreams. About the Vault."

"That's to be expected given what you went through."

"But they always involve me and a certain weapon," he said, "That's what's strange."

It was strange. It also explained why he was constantly mooning over Aro's gun. "A hand cannon, I take it?"

"It is. It looks familiar but I've honestly never seen it before."

"You get used to that. Trust me."

"And it's the only thing that seems to bring Wrath out of his...hiding, I guess you could say."

Aro blinked. "Ah. That is...have you not spoken to Ikora? Or the Speaker?"

The Exo waved the suggestion off. "Look, they're already on the lookout for a reason they should just off me and be done with it"

"Come on, Asura. You know it's not true."

Asura's shoulders rose in a limp, defeated shrug. "I just...rather not give them one yet. That's all."

Aro leaned on the table next to him, propped up on elbows. He had said it quickly but still, Aro caught it. 'Yet'. As if it were inevitable. To him, Wrath(A)'s attempt at rebellion and in turn, Asura's permanent death was not a question of 'if' but 'when'. Aro would have preferred to talk more about it but nothing of comfort came to mind. So instead, he asked, "Have you spoken to Crona?"

"Not yet," Asura quietly replied, "You're our expert on weird dreams so I came to you first."

Aro begrudgingly admitted he was right but it was expertise due to experience, not any actual understanding. Aro straightened up. "So then what do you want to do?"

"I feel...that given time and help…" he turned his head to Aro, "I can actually create this gun."

This was the kind of thing you questioned. Push for an explanation for what sounded like ridiculousness. But if it kept Asura's thoughts off of what he believed to be the inevitable and even brought Wrath(A) into a speaking mood again, it would serve. So Aro asked. "What do you need?"

Asura sent the target back into its original spot. Shutting out the lights, the two walked out of the shooting range, slowly moving step in step down the long, dimly lit hall. "First, things first, I need an exotic shard."

"Xur is your best bet," Aro advised. "If not him then I'm sure Cayde can get you something. The methods probably won't be completely legal-"

"But as long as it's not traceable back to me or him, who cares?"

Aro stopped walking. "Have you done this before?"

"Oh, not at all." Asura kept going, not even attempting to make his lie at least sound convincing. The halls were filling as the sun rose further and further. Civilians and Guardians alike greeted the two by name and not a single one could pronounce Aro's correctly. "You think the mess hall will be open? I could eat." Asura was already changing his stride to take him to the elevators.

"I'll keep you company." Aro started to adjust his path to follow when Asura grabbed him by the arm and stopped him.

"No, I will go alone. _You_ will find Daniel." He let go of his arm. "He wasn't all that happy with you running off like that. Your wolf of a boyfriend spent the day snapping at everyone because he would have to spend the night without his favorite stuffed animal to cuddle." Aro shoved him away, with enough force to nearly knock the cackling Exo off his feet. But he was right and Aro knew it. He just hadn't really expected anyone to care. Notice, sure but not really care.

Asura went on while walking off. "You two go kiss, make up, kiss harder, 'make up' harder…" His hands shot up in surrender when Aro began stalking towards him. "Just saying! That's how it usually happens."

Kain popped into view over Aro's shoulder after Asura had finally been run off. "Daniel did sound a bit upset. Said he tried to find you."

"I'm going, I'm going. Not sure why anyone would get upset." Traveler knows they could all use a break from seeing his face and dealing with all it entails. He certainly could. Mirrors had never been his friend anyway. "Track him down. I'm not about to start running up and down this damn Tower."

Kain's response was immediate. "His room. Still sleeping."

"You were already tracking him, weren't you?"

Kain disappeared. Aro started in the direction of the elevators. "Yep. You gonna wake him up?"

"Might as well."

"Sounds dangerous."

"Be brave, Ghost."

"Asking for a mauling."

Aro shrugged. "You heard Asura. A 'mauling' will probably happen anyway."

"I know what you're referring to."

"Do you?"

"And you're weird."

"No argument there."

"Please grow up."

"I will not."

* * *

Kain removed his armor when he stepped into the bedroom. Daniel was there as he said, large frame spread across the bed with his feet sticking over the edge, snoring away seemingly without a care in the world. Aro could watch him for hours. Has, in fact. Sleeping was never the most pleasurable activity for him. Sleeping meant nightmares, which meant exhaustion that only led to more sleeping and more nightmares. His Light could sustain him, sometimes for weeks at a time but that never seemed to last.

He kneeled before the bed, put an arm to the man's exposed shoulder. "Daniel?" The man grumbled and smacked his lips in response. "Come on, Danny. I'm trying to apologize."

There was stirring. Then the fluttering of eyes and finally, the predictable, "Don't call me Danny."

Aro grinned. "You let Maya call you Danny."

"You're not Maya." The comforter slipped down as he tried to sit up but Aro's hand pushed him back down. "Where were you? Kain wouldn't tell me."

"Mars. The Scablands," Aro answered, moving off his knees to a sitting position. "Had something to take care of."

"Why couldn't Kain just tell me that? I was worried." Daniel's tone felt biting but Aro just attributed it to his own projection. On the contrary, instead of anger or the usual grimness, Daniel's eyes were soft, nonjudgmental.

Aro shrugged. "Honestly didn't expect anyone to ask."

Dark brows furrowed. This time Daniel sat up and Aro let him. "Why would you think that?"

He didn't respond. It would just sound stupid to say out loud. A person's feelings always were, to them at least. Aro didn't answer and thankfully, Daniel didn't push. "I apologize for not telling you. And for worrying you," Aro said, "It won't happen again, I promise."

Daniel sighed. Then the corner of his mouth started to turn upwards. "You're lucky you're cute."

"I do my best." Aro rose to his feet, groaning quietly. "I just wanted to apologize. I'll let you get back to sleep."

"Hey." A hand took his, keeping him from leaving. Daniel's tired features were laced with concern. "You're tired."

Three for three, Aro mused. "I'm fine," he tried to say, aware of how utterly unconvincing he sounded. Daniel was already moving backwards on his bed. When he felt he had made enough space, he stared at Aro. Aro stared back. Daniel's eyebrows rose expectantly and Aro groaned, "Fine."

The Titan grinned, watching Aro as he removed his shirt and grinned wider when Aro almost tripped over himself trying to remove his pants. "Nobody better need me for anything today. Not leaving this bed till way past noon."

Daniel was wrapped around him the second he slipped under the covers. "Hope you don't mind the company. M'not going anywhere either." With his forehead pressed to the side of Aro's head and his face buried in his neck, Aro heard him sniff a few times. "You smell like sand."

"Thank you. It's all the sand."

"And Cabal oil."

"Ah." Aro shifted uncomfortably at the memory. It was a display of brutality he hadn't done intentionally, however necessary to defend himself. "Had a disagreement with a few Sand Eaters."

A deep chuckle. "About?"

He shrugged. "Which one of us should stop breathing first. 'You, stop first.' 'No, _you_ stop first." That cutesy crap couples do when they're talking on the phone. Went on until I got bored and just started shooting. Liven things up a little."

"And did you liven things up?"

"The opposite, unfortunately."

The chuckle became a full-blown guffaw. "Now I'm really mad you didn't bring me along."

Aro shifted onto his back, wrapping his arm around Daniel's head and intertwining his fingers into dark hair, sighing with content. "You would just steal all my kills," he murmured, earning himself another small laugh.

Things were quiet for a while. Occasionally one of them would say something or do something that earned them a comment from the other but most of their time was spent listening to the world pass them by outside and each other's breathing. It was Daniel who broke their companionable silence. Aro could hear him open his mouth, take in a breath and then pause, as if he was about to say something he felt he would regret. After a point, he decided to just bite the bullet and said, "You should come by my house sometime."

Aro's fingers, still running through the mess of spiky black hair froze. Then the arm slowly dropped down to the bed. "They've been talking about you," he continued carefully, "They haven't seen you in a while. And what with Maya and-" He stopped when he took in the look in Aro's eyes, fixed on the ceiling and full of pain. "Hey. Aro." He put a gentle hand to his cheek and forced him to turn. "It'll fine."

He swallowed, trying to clear the lump in his throat, to no avail. Aro didn't trust himself around Daniel's family, that was the short of it. They had both seen the future of their world and the year in between then and now had done nothing to lighten the magnitude of what they witnessed. At some point in the future, Aro would kill Tarlowe. He would kill Christine. _He will kill Daniel_. Maya, a girl he's known since before she was even ten, back when Aro was barely a year into his second life, would only live on due to the sacrifice her older siblings made to buy her time to escape. Escape from him. She would be pushed into an unending life of exile and war; forced to live with the knowledge that this random man, a risen Guardian her brother had simply decided to invite into his home one day, would be its downfall.

He loved her. He did. She was the sister he never had before the brother he never knew he had. Even then, blood relation be damned. He'd choose her over Pride in a heartbeat.

He'd choose her over himself in half of one. Despite everything, that was a truth he needed to remember.

"Alright."

"Hmm?"

Aro locked eyes with him again. "I'll go."

Daniel rose up slightly. "If you're sure…"

"You'll be there?"

"Of course."

Aro nodded. "Good." His arm around Daniel's neck rose up to the base of his skull, brought him closer into a kiss. They parted and Aro let out a slow shuddering breath. "Good."

* * *

The rest of the morning passed them by. Then the day and the afternoon. It was dark again and the two men had barely moved except to eat, stretch or relieve themselves.

Daniel was asleep again. Aro was not. Kain did his best, reading him books, transcribing recorded lectures until Aro had to beg him to stop. The worst of it was that he was tired. He had not slept an entire night at the end of any day for the last month and his Light could only hold him for so long. There was one measure; he could just have Kain stop his brain. He'd die on the spot. An extreme measure, too extreme to do while Daniel was here. Aro wouldn't have him waking up wrapped around a corpse.

He'll talk to Ikora, he finally decided. He'll talk to her tomorrow and hope she could provide him a better solution. When the bottom line was killing himself just for a bit of rest, the only place left to go was up.


	4. Catharsis

_Catharsis_

* * *

"Kaylaaa…"

The Exo ignored her name, daintily scrolling over to the next page of her book. He'd been at it for nearly half an hour. If only he got as bored with bothering her as he did everything else.

"Kaylaaaa," Erek whined again, "Please help me."

Eva took a hand away from her measuring to swat his outstretched arm. "Hush now, let the young lady read in silence."

"Thank you, Mrs. Levante," Kayla said, turning the next page and sparing Erek not even so much as a glance. He started to groan again, only to be cut off with a shush. It was boring and it was tedious but it was required. Measurements and fittings for formal wear.

The Consensus was hosting a gala. An entire night of politicians patting themselves on the back for getting absolutely nothing done all year, according to Z. And despite his efforts, he had said, that included himself. Crona's brother had to deal with nearly every motion he put forward this year, usually aimed at improving the lives of ordinary and the more downtrodden, being shot down. The whole thing was an overall waste of time and resources, he would say, and the least they could do was actually be deserving of it.

Guardians were a rare sight at these kinds of events. Aside from the Vanguard, who were Consensus members themselves, most Guardians did not bother with politics. From what was told about the Faction Wars, it was for the best.

So one could imagine how well the Vanguard received the message that was addressed to the Guardian clan that called themselves the Will of Light. An invitation for all members, personally written by Hideo, executor of the faction known as New Monarchy.

Zavala nearly cracked the tablet in half. Cayde decided that his grandmother's funeral would be on that day and Ikora Rey, the picture of control and calmness in the face of calamity, kept her voice perfectly light and neutral, all while talking about walking down the Tower and having a "talk" with the good Executor.

Five minutes. She wasn't asking much.

Kayla still wasn't sure if it was who issued the invite to them that was the problem or the invitation itself. Both, her Ghost had guessed. Executor Hideo was practically a paragon in the public eye and he remained that way, provided one never got too close to see the real him or done something to bring out the uglier aspects of his personality. The real him, Tarlowe had claimed.

Though they could always deny the offer, it was the Speaker who suggested they accept. He claimed that given the nature of their most recent victory, things like this were to have been expected. Better they adjust and learn how to navigate now than when they were in a situation they could not simply decline.

So they were to be outfitted. Kayla had gone through her own, grinned and bore it with both minimal complaint and without company with which to keep herself entertained. And then there was Erek Sov, regal former Prince of the Reef, here with the latter and still unable to manage the former and would be over and done with it all if he could stop moving for more than a few seconds at any given time.

She had her own projects to work on in the meantime. She had abandoned all other smaller scale, miscellaneous ones in favor of one broad field; Golden Age technological advancements. Particularly, Clovis Bray and the Warminds they created. It had taken several days after their return to Earth for her to fully feel the brunt of Envy's revelation. When Guardians thought about the Praxic Order, they thought about Eriana-3. She was by far the most famous Warlock among their ranks, or infamous, depending on who was being asked.

What she was known for was her staunch and steadfast dedication to the ideals of her order; that they should be less concerned with the nature of the Darkness and more focused on destroying it. It was what made her choice to join Pride such a jarring one. But what made it a terrifying one was the nature of who she was.

The amount of influence she has shown herself to have over Rasputin was staggering. With Wrath(K) dead and the Vault of Glass disabled for at least the next thousand years, Envy could easily be considered Pride's greatest weapon in his war against the Light. And if they were to stand a chance, just as Aro was to match Pride, Kayla knew she had to match Envy. So she studied, she trained, she scoured her experiences for anything, _anything_ that could give her the ability to nullify or at the very least, mitigate their advantage.

Some time ago, she had the idea to imitate her. Exert her own will over the Warmind in the same manner Envy could. She brought it up, with Aashir and Sora first, gauge reactions before she brought the idea before Ikora.

Sora let her down gently. Aashir couldn't be gentle if one paid him to be. Eriana-3, Envy was dead, he had snapped, and is up and walking only through the power of the Darkness. Kayla was alive and regardless of the number of times she died, she could not afford to find death so trivial that she would intentionally abuse Rasputin and his power for her own gain. The Warmind protected her, through her, the rest of them and the City itself but at the end of the day, his priority was himself. Rasputin was not a creature with whom you wanted to fall out of the good graces of.

Kayla realized that she could be in the labs right now. Or the libraries. She only remained for Erek's sake as he had only agreed to attend if he had company. While she was sure he would've attended anyway, she obliged. She couldn't say that he was affected any more or any less by what they witnessed and suffered in the Vault than the rest of them. In her opinion, the only people who held that "honor" was Asura and Aro themselves. But seeing Dredgen Yor again, the Guardian who had taken everything from him had unraveled whatever progress he had made for his mental health and well being. He was relapsing and unlike every other time, he had yet to start the journey back.

What scared her was how different it was this time. Any other time it occurred, he would go quiet for days, become despondent. He'd have to be coerced from his bedroom, either with words or physical force, just for fresh air or food and he always returned as soon as he could. Nowadays, he was hiding how this all made him felt. Laughing a bit too hard, smiling with too many teeth and too little humor to match. He didn't treat her any differently or any of them at all but there was always a tension there and it could be seen if anyone paid close enough attention.

As of late, most of the Hunter's time had been spent inside the Crucible. On occasion, both Kayla and Daniel would join him. Other times, just Daniel and when Erek couldn't drag him into the arena, he'd get one of the others to come with him. Asking Aashir on _several_ occasions too spine. Actually browbeating the surly, overly serious Exo into saying yes was something else entirely. Shaxx had himself a field day.

It worried some of them, that he was using the Crucible as an outlet. There was stress relief and then taking his aggression and sadness out on other Guardians by making them hurt just as much as he was. She had mentioned her concerns to Shaxx, claimed that Erek was a bit more obsessed with the fighting and killing aspect of his Crucible than the actually honing of skills. Shaxx called it nonsense, said no one was more obsessed with the Crucible than he was. He later promised to keep a closer eye on Erek on the condition that she get in the arena and show the rookies what a real Nova Bomb looked like.

"Traveler, you're worse than Aro." Erek drooped next to her on the bench, jostling Kayla out of her own head and forcing her to make room for him. She hadn't even noticed when Eva finished and started packing her things. "You seen Danny boy all day or is he still moping about?"

"Oh?" Eva called out from behind them, "Is something wrong with Daniel?"

"Aro left the City yesterday morning and didn't say anything to anybody, including him. No one's seen or heard from him since the day before."

A disapproving click of the tongue. "That wasn't a good thing to do. Did he really believe no one would worry?"

"Well, everything is fine," said Kayla, slipping the tablet back into her own bag, "Aro got back early this morning and Asura told me he's gone to see Daniel." She closed the bag and slipped it over her shoulder, "Could explain why no one's seen either of them all day."

"Ew."

"'Ew' what, dear?" Eva asked, "Could you explain?"

Kayla indeed had places to be. As well as time that could or should be spent on other, more important endeavors. But at that moment, she would stand there for the rest of her days if it meant she got to watch Erek stutter and avoid giving an explanation of why he found Aro and Daniel's disappearance so disgusting to an already knowing Eva Levante. The merciful woman that she was, she only let him sweat under her gaze for a minute before commanding him affectionately to "keep his mind out of the gutter."

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am."

* * *

Kayla closed her eyes and leaned against the door of the lab as soon as it closed behind her. Sixx appeared before her. "So many things to do, too few hours in the day to do it."

She laughed. "Trust me, Sixx, if I could get away with spending all day and night in here, I would."

"Oh, I know. But you won't cause the last time you did, Ikora locked you out until you took a week's break."

"So I remember." She pushed off the door and turned her thoughts towards work. "Why were we saved, Sixx? Me and Eriana. Do you think about that?"

"Almost as much as you do, Kayla."

"I still remember that message he sent me," she continued, "'Save the last two.' Transfer the Kenyan Warmind, Nia and the North American Warmind, Gloria into Exo bodies to protect them from the Collapse."

Her Ghost sniffed. "'North American Warmind, Gloria'. How American, if the history books are to be believed."

"And the fact that not just one of us but both of us turned out to be Lightbearers." She shook her head. "Light is paracausal, outside the confines of cause and effect. That's the day one lecture for every Warlock, Sixx. It is, by that nature, impossible to predict. Even for the Vex."

"Rasputin scares the Vex," Sixx said, "The smattering of reports we've gotten about their interactions on Mars have shown that. But if they can't predict the Light, there's no way he could either."

"A lot of things lead back to Mars. I've been noticing that. It's like a planet-sized piece of the puzzle that we somehow keep missing." She made her way to the side of the room. "Whenever I think of Mars or focus on it, I feel...cold. Like someone just knocked down the temperature control for the room and then broke the keypad." Just thinking about it had her shaking her arms out, as if trying to keep her joints loose and unstuck. Cold, ice and Mars. The Hellas Basin in Mars' southern hemisphere fit the bill. But that ice was old and went downwards for miles. Unless the miraculous occurred, she'd never find answers there.

What she was doing now was a different matter. From a cabinet on the walls, she found what she was looking for and immediately sat herself down at one of the tables. If what she was planning worked the same way it did the last time she managed it, she would want to be sitting down. She regarded the thing for a few more seconds before ordering her Ghost to begin recording.

She spoke loud and clear. "Before me is a Vex mind core belonging to one of the subtypes inhabiting the Ishtar Sink, Venus; the Hezen Corrective, destroyed and retrieved by the Hunter, Katrina and her fireteam, Titan Jessie and Warlock Sora. The Hezen Corrective held Sekrion, the Nexus Mind, formerly in charge of the conversion of Venus until its destruction at the hands of the Warlock Aashir and his fireteam, the Hunter and Titan, Aveline Torres and Josef Torres."

She omitted that the mind core had been taken. By Envy, no less. Her very first appearance.

"During our incursion into the Vault of Glass, two members of our fireteam, Titan Daniel Suros and Warlock Arochukwu, fell into an opened Vex gate. One which promptly shut behind them. In an admittedly desperate maneuver to save them, I...managed to interface with the Vex machinery."

Kayla took a moment to collect her thoughts before continuing. "The attempt, though successful, was jarring. To this day, I cannot adequately explain what I had seen nor have I made a second attempt. I will do so today."

She picked up the core, slightly bigger than the size of her fist; beaten bronze shining in the bright light above her head. She was fully aware of the many ways this would go wrong. She had heard the stories. But if this was a way to give them a leg up, she owed it to her team, to her City to take the risk.

She turned to her Ghost and nodded. "Do it."

A beam of light shot out from Sixx's eye into the mind core. Kayla closed her eyes and waited, wondering what it would feel like this time. She was expecting a jolt, as if she had been killed and revived, only inside the core. Maybe there would be pain. At the same time, there could be nothing. She'd open her eyes and just be somewhere else entirely, just like last time. She preferred some kind of indication but it was not as if she'd get a say in the matter. So instead, she focused. On the sound of Sixx whirring around and working, sometimes feeling him just slightly brush her hands, still wrapped around the core. The buzz of the overhead lights, the low hum of the fans, the air rushing out from them, on anything but herself.

"Kayla? You here?"

She opened her eyes, quickly taking in the room around her. "I'm still here."

Sixx hummed. "Let me try something else." He started again. She watched him this time, despite not having even the faintest understanding of what he was doing and when he gave the indication, she closed her eyes and focused again. On herself this time, instead of her surroundings, feeling maybe it was her distraction that led to the failure. It wasn't because it failed again. As did the third, fourth, fifth attempts and onwards.

Sixx sighed, "Nothing's-"

"Happening," Kayla let the core clatter to the table and fell back in her chair. "This was what I was afraid of. We have made several attempts-"

"Twelve, to be precise."

"To interface with the Vex mind core and every single time, the attempt has failed." She picked up the core again, "The mind core may require proximity to the network, most likely through a still operational Vex to be of any use. Interfacing with an operational Vex unit carries with it both the potential for success and an extreme amount of risk." She sighed, "Risk...that I'm not sure I'm prepared to take."

She stood and moved to return the core. "I will consult Ikora on the matter. As well as Sora and Aashir, if deemed necessary. Until then, I will make no further attempts. End recording." She locked the core away and returned for her bag.

Sixx watched as his Guardian gathered the rest of her things, her rough movements showing the frustration she felt in her head. He followed closely as she shut off the lights and when they left the lab behind them, he archived the recording.

* * *

Erek threw himself forward, off his feet and into a roll that landed him behind a short stone pillar and out of the path of an incoming missile. He could see the red crawling up on his radar, hear the heavy booted footsteps, the sound of a launcher being reloaded. The Hunter folded his Light both around himself and outwards. Then just as he heard the Titan lift up off the ground, he moved.

The enemy Titan aimed down at Erek's hiding spot, only to find nothing. Invisibility was an advantage, a good one but not a perfect one. A well experienced Guardian could notice the movement. Shifts in their vision that were both very subtle and very unnatural. The Titan noticed it. He twisted and fired at the clear silhouette of Erek at point blank range. Erek could feel the searing heat of it as it flew past, feel the shaking under his feet when it crashed into the wall behind them.

Noticing and even reacting were not the same as stopping. Launcher emptied, the Titan would instinctively start fumbling for another weapon, pulling out a hand cannon and taking aim only to find Erek's knife lodged deep between his ribs before his finger could fully press down the trigger.

Erek had no interest in watching him bleed. He yanked the knife out and swung it upwards, a short blade of sharp Arc lightning extending from the tip. The lightning left no remains and before the smoke had even cleared, Erek's mind had already moved onto the next potential target.

Without warning, Erek dropped backwards. The sniper bullet tore into the stone wall, where his head had been not even a breath before. He had just barely seen the glare reflecting off the weapon's scope in time. He scrambled back towards the pillar, practically crawling on his belly to avoid raising his head above cover.

A whistle came through his comms, both impressed and amused. "You gotta teach me how to move like that, Erek. I'll pay you."

Mira. Probably one of the last Guardians in the system he wanted to end up on the wrong side of. It had been expected though, given how many matches he's been through in that day alone.

But for the Traveler's sake, he had hoped to win this one.

"So, word on the street is this is your twelfth match today." Tone light and overly casual, mocking the fact that he had nowhere he could go that wouldn't give her the perfect sightline for his head and more so, that he knew it and was just prolonging the inevitable.

"Since when did you start sniping? Thought you preferred to get up close and personal," he asked, keeping an eye on his radar on the very likely chance she'd grow frustrated and simply come down from her perch to take him out with her own hands.

"Practicing. Iron Banner coming up and my team qualifies." An edge was already beginning to develop in her voice. Erek honestly had expected it to take longer. "So if you could just…stick your-"

"No."

Another shot ricocheted off the wall, probably fired in annoyance. "You never do anything for me."

If he was being honest, he wanted to move. If only to move things along. He didn't come into the Crucible and grind through twelve matches and counting to sit in one goddamned place. Too much crap going on in his head; unpleasant, intrusive thoughts and memories. Being killed helped. Killing helped too.

Seeing Lust was what set it off. After months of being honest with himself, that was the conclusion he had come to. Lust started the flame, his brother and sister, just seeing them, was like oil on the fire. And he hasn't stopped burning since.

Ever since he found out that Dredgen Yor still lived, still walked the earth, it had just been one, long downward spiral. Fighting in here gave him some sense of control, as if he were finally beginning to crawl his way out. He's heard the concerns from his teammates, from his clan, his Ghost. But it was catharsis. Aggression and frustration worked out in a constructive manner. It wasn't like he was killing anyone. At least, anyone who couldn't walk it off.

"_I need a launcher, Eren. One that can track." _

"_Working on it. Give me some-_" his Ghost was cut off. The full red bar did not so much as crawl up on his radar as it had simply just appeared. Erek found himself with little warning and even less time to react before being slammed into from the side, hard enough to send him hurtling through the air. What little sense he retained that hadn't been knocked from his head allowed him to both right himself still in cover and realize immediately that a hit like that could have killed him but didn't.

Jessie stood where he had been knocked from, hands up. "Sorry, Erek. Had to get your attention somehow."

"I have a name. You clearly know it," he snapped, "Who the hell else is in here? Shino?"

"He will be if I someone doesn't stick out their head soon," Mira chirped over comms. A threat if they had ever heard one.

"Katrina then?"

"No, because she stopped fighting six matches ago," Jessie answered, "She's off somewhere in the Cosmodrome, taking a break. What _you _need to do."

Erek pulled out a gun and started firing. He got in two good hits before the Titan made it behind cover. "Thanks for the concern but I'll do what I want."

"So I've noticed." He reloaded, listening to her voice even out as her Ghost healed her. He approached slowly but only stopped at the edge of the wall he had been thrown behind. Intervention on his behalf or not, Mira was an opportunist.

So he gave her one. Erek broke into a hard sprint, back out into the light, launcher sights aimed down. The half-second he received the indication of target lock, he fired. A curse and then an explosion, followed by silence before Jessie came at him again. Just as with the Titan before, he struck out with his knife. Unlike before, he found no purchase but instead, Void Light covering the Exo's body like a second layer of armor and a fist nearly the size of his head drawing back.

He Blinked to the side, lunged back in and once again found his attack halted. It was all back and forth after that. Attempting a strike, finding it halted and then immediately moving away to avoid the devastating return strike. Fast as he was, walls don't need to move. That's what it felt like he was fighting, a fucking wall. A wall that was simply taking his abuse, wringing the energy out of him, letting him tire himself out until she could force him to sit down and actually talk.

A twisted part of him was glad that it wasn't working. A blow blocked only made the next one more forceful, more vicious until he had abandoned all thought of finesse or technique and just started stabbing at the woman, practically beating at her with the point of his knife, knowing that at some point, the thing was bound to snap and not caring in the slightest.

It was only a matter of time before Jessie started taking him seriously and brought her Light into the fight. He could feel the static starting to gather between them. Erek was practically seeing red by the next time he struck out for an attack. She caught one of his arms as it came in for a hit, then the other, locking the both of them down. Erek knew how vulnerable he was in this position. She could snap both his arms, drive her head forward and break his neck, even lift him over her head and throw him through the air like a ragdoll. He pulled back, feeling her lock on his arms tighten in response. Then he brought his feet up in between them and kicked her chest as hard as he could manage.

She released him, more out of surprise than any pain or force. He hit the ground and flipped himself back upright. As soon as his feet hit the ground, his body erupted in flames, the bulk of it gathering in his hand, taking shape and solidifying. The first shot smashed against a hastily raised Ward of Dawn. The second visibly rattled the Void wall. Erek charged forward and passed through the shield. Jessie jumped away, just barely managing to make it out of the Ward of Dawn before he let loose the third shot. Her proximity to the collapse sent her sprawling backward. Erek jumped into the air and jumped a second time until the Exo Titan was underneath him. The world seemed to slow down. His arm brought the Golden Gun downwards, level with her head. The red of his vision was blinding at this point, eyes on no one but his target and focus turned towards nothing but seeing her burn.

A gleam in the darkened corner of his vision. Distracting but all too familiar. Enough to have him twisting away from Jessie in midair, turning his Golden Gun on the source, the world still moving way too slow.

Erek heard a voice, then the crack of a rifle and in that same instant, both were gone.

* * *

Erek's body jolted, flying upright. His arms lashed out and caught onto something small and hard, earning an indignant yell. As his breathing evened out and his vision returned, he found three figures over him. His Ghost, eye roving over his body, ensuring everything had been restarted correctly. Jessie, kneeling beside him, helmet off and concern all over her frame. Then there was Mira, sniper rifle resting on her shoulder, looking down at him as one would a petulant child and repeating what she had said before he was killed by the bullet that drilled through his skull. "You missed."

He shook everyone off of him with a snarl and jumped to his feet. "Eren, where is the next match?" He already knew he had lost this one.

"You've done enough, Erek," Mira spoke again, "Head back to Earth."

"Eren…"

Jessie sighed, "Eren, please don't."

"Eren!" The Ghost jolted at sudden sharpness in his voice. He grimaced and forced himself to soften. "The next match…"

She looked between the other two before turning back to Erek. "Venus. Starting soon." Another growl escaped his throat. The fact that it was on Venus should have been enough to put him off, force him to heed Mira's words and return to the City.

But fuck. _Fuck_. He was still angry. He was still _burning_. "Start the ship. Set the coordinates," he ordered, tone of voice low but making it painfully clear he would not hear anything more.

Besides, all the complaints and concerns remained unfounded, at least in his eyes. This was catharsis. Nothing more.


	5. A Hint of Ozone

_A Hint of Ozone_

* * *

Crona exhaled slowly and lowered herself down even slower. She held herself close to the ground for a drawn out, too long count of three and then pushed, rising back up. Then down again, hold, _hold_, _slowly_...back up. She wasn't counting. With no interest in impressing anyone or surpassing any goals, she rarely did. Her Ghost did, however, and he'd gladly tell her anytime she passed old limits. If there were any goals, that was the only one that mattered.

The struggle came in keeping quiet. Her nephew asleep on her bed, she knew if her breathing overwhelmed the sound of his snoring, she was being too loud. No particular reason Trey was in here, he just liked sleeping in different beds, sometimes her's, sometime's her parents'. His father's childhood bed remained a staunch favorite.

Crona pushed back into the raised position and decided that the trembling in her arms was too much to ignore. She pulled her legs inward, settled her feet flat onto the floor and rose back up to her full height. Shake the arms out, calm your breathing, let the blood flow. Then take one, extend the muscle, stretch out the tightness, relax. Take the other, the left one, stretch out the tension, relax.

She relaxed but didn't let the arm down. Two circles surrounding both her wrist and the flesh just before her elbow. Two small lines dropped down to connect with the head and tail of a diamond etched into her forearm. Easily mistaken for a tattoo, like the sunburst clan mark on her right shoulder; deep black lines stark against the cloudy blue of her skin. Crona turned slightly, ensuring Trey was still sleeping. Then she called on her Light, willing it into her arm.

The Aegis shield materialized, as resplendent and vibrant as it had been the very first time Crona had brought it to life. Test after test had been run on the shield as well as her and her Light. From the Gensym Scribes to Owl Sector to Ikora herself, not a single person was able to explain how Kabr's Ghost had left this on her arm or how to have it removed. The one thing that they were able to confirm was that it had no ill effects on her well-being. And it worked as well out in the world as it did in the Vault so she was in no rush to get rid of it. On the contrary; it was a trophy for a battle well fought and a memento of a friend who fell that day in their defense.

"_Crona?"_ Sol's instinct to speak quietly remained even in her head.

She willed the shield away, covering the room in darkness again and stretched her arms over her head. "_Yeah?"_

"_It's Aro. He's back at the Tower since early this morning,_" he reported, "_Coincidentally, no one's seen him or Daniel all day yesterday._"

"Ew," she responded out loud and on instinct, "_And shame. The only time I can get a real challenge out of Daniel is when he's in a crap mood." _

"_He won your last two of three."_

"_And he paid for those wins with several teeth and a fucked knee." _Truthfully, she never enjoyed seeing him in such a bad mood, he was her friend and Aro shouldn't have just disappeared like that, though she doubts she could blame him. Introverted man that he was, this new celebrity status had to have been hitting him pretty hard. Then there was Pride and their uncanny likeness. Crona hadn't missed how the others had been acting around him, mostly because she could feel herself doing the same for some time. It was damn hard not to. She was to head to the Tower today and would find him. She hoped she would, at least, assuming he hadn't gone and developed a taste for running off planet without warning. But again, she still couldn't find it in herself to blame him.

Trey was still asleep by the time Crona had showered, dressed and stepped out. He wasn't a quiet kid. If he had been awake, he'd be running up and down her home, yelling his head off, breaking every little thing as children naturally do.

So it was strange when she found how much of her brother she could hear from her bedroom door on the second floor. He was loud. He was angry, the only time he ever became loud. Her mother and Akira were with him, judging by the softer tones that followed his own.

Crona found them surrounding the main television in the living area. Her mother sat quietly in a chair while her brother practically paced a ditch into their floor, blue eyes blazing with fury. Akira just stood next to him, her face an equal mix of worry and anger.

A news report, voices filling the house. Another Exo killed, the third such event this month. Killed and dismembered. Or rather, she realized as she listened further, killed _by _dismembering. No doubt by some hateful freak convinced they weren't living things with a concept of pain, just a simulated imitation, as if that made any sort of difference.

To make matters worse, the attack had occurred in their district. It explained the extra voices Crona could hear on the TV; crowds were gathering, people were in an uproar. It also explained why Z seemed to be taking this so personally.

"I still think you're wasting your time, Z," Akira said, breaking the silence.

"No. It should be cancelled."

"Come on. Be reasonable."

"I am being reasonable!"

"Then be like Hideo," she tried, earning a snarl of disgust. She slipped her hand into his shoulder and despite never taking his eyes away from the screen, his own came up to cover her's. "He's funding a big part of this gala," she continued, "Do you really think something like this is going just suddenly change his mind?"

He groaned this time, more resignation than anger. "If he had an ounce of integrity, he would."

"My point exactly." That earned her a smile.

Crona watched them, watched the report and thought back to Asura and Wrath(A), remembering just kind of treatment set him off in the first place. "I have to wonder," Crona said, earning their eyes, "Would we still be dealing with this kind of thing if people knew what was really going on out there?"

Z scoffed softly. "The cynic in me wants to say yes. But I remember the weeks after Dredgen Yor's attacks on the civilians. How peaceful things were." He shook his head. "It shouldn't take so much suffering to bring people together."

Crona turned her eyes back to the report, to the crowds behind the reporter. Roiling, angry and showing no signs of calming down. She hoped it did, before authorities began resorting to more drastic actions as they were inclined to do. Even to the point of trying to pull Guardians into the fray, something that would be done more often if the Speaker and her father didn't keep such a short, tight leash. Crona stepped forward and put a gentle hand to her mother's shoulder to get her attention. "Did father leave already?"

"Yes. The Tower." Eve sounded weary. Whether from this or something else, she wanted to ask but ultimately decided against it. Besides, she knew the answer and it would do nothing for her to hear it aloud.

* * *

"Cayde?"

"Crona!" The Exo broke his stride and backtracked. "Crona, my favorite Crona. Is it important?" he asked, "I'm on a mission for the boss."

She chuckled. 'Have you seen my own around anywhere?"

"Which one? Big, blue and beautiful or tall, dark and tired?"

Crona blinked. "Both, actually."

"Aro made his way down to one of the meditation rooms on Ikora's suggestion." He pointed in the general direction. "From what I could get from eavesdropping, it's about his…" He paused to look around before leaning in. "Visions."

Visions. Trouble always started with visions.

"Your old man, as a matter of fact, was just asking after you. I suggest seeing him first."

"I will. Thanks, Cay-" She was cut off by the sound of a voice. A familiar one ringing out from one of the displays hanging in Vanguard Hall. Someone had put on the news, still reporting on the Exo civilian's murder and turned it up so that it had captured the attention of everyone in the Hall. The Hunter's attention had been taken by it and it was the most somber Crona had seen him in a very long time.

He broke eye contact with the screen and gestured to grab the attention of a nearby frame. "Hey, buddy, do me a favor? Change the channel. We all know what happened."

"Z came up here with me," she told him. "He's talking to Hideo about getting the gala cancelled. Or at the very least, moved."

"He's wasting his breath."

"Akira said the same."

"Great minds…" Crona laughed at that. "And yet he's still trying. He's as bad as the old man…" Cayde blinked, "Who is going to have my metal hide for knitting needles if I don't get this done." He bounded past and she let him go, steeling herself before entering the main hall.

The Commander was there, set in the same place as he always was, as resolute and unchanging as the walls of the City or the Tower itself. And she'd spend the next several decades at the very least keenly aware of how much she had hurt him. Unlike her mother, her brother, her sister in law, she had no choice but to give her father the full story of their raid on the Vault, done against orders of his that couldn't have been clearer if he wanted them to be.

She had to look him, Ikora and Cayde all in the eye and tell them about the Templar, the Vex Hydra equipped with a near impenetrable shield and the ability to knock its enemies from the timeline. She told them of the Gorgons, who could take a single look at them and simply make the decision they did not exist. All things she, Erek and Aro had nearly experienced firsthand. Ikora demanded an explanation and oh, how it pained her to give it. The Templar didn't kill them, no, and neither did the Gorgon. The latter simply erased them. The former, knocked them out of the current timeline into some kind of space in between. There, they would have drifted, as Praedyth had. As Praedyth was still doing. All the years Wrath(K) had with control over the Vault and even he could not find a way to bring his friend back. Maybe there was no way.

Had the Templar succeeded, as with Praedyth, no one outside of the Vault at the time would recall Crona or Aro ever having existed. Her father and mother would go through the rest of their days never recalling their daughter. Z would spend the rest of his life thinking himself an only child. And on the rare chance Daniel or Kayla had done what Kabr made Pahanin do and escaped, they would return to the Tower, shaken, ranting and raving to Zavala about the daughter he never had. Odds are, just like Pahanin, they'd be written off as mad, irreparably traumatized.

Neither of them talked much after that. Not for the days or even some weeks after. When it did happen, it was mainly concerning work. It was what she expected this to be about and a part of her wondered if things would ever change. Or at least, go back to the way they were.

He noticed her before she could reach him, straightening up and clasping his hands behind his back. "Crona, good. I'm glad you're here."

"Did you need me to do something?"

"Yes...and no." Zavala sighed, looked around them and then put a hand to her shoulder, leading her to the Hall's back window, facing walls and the mountains behind them. He watched them in silence for some time. She simply watched him.

"There is a project I've been hoping to work on," he told her quietly, "A weapon I wanted to create. Or recreate, so to speak." He turned away from the window to look at her. "During your time in the Vault, did you come across any weapons? Ones that could work in a Guardian's hands?"

"No. None of us did. Was there something we should have seen? And what is this project?"

"You will learn as we go along. I suspect, we both will. A baseline schematic was all we could pull from Ghost's memories. For a weapon that few records seem to match."

"Who else is working on this?"

"Just you. And…me. Us. Together." He cleared his throat and looked away. Before Crona could even begin to discern why he was acting the way he was, he was speaking again. "Your arm, the Aegis. How is it treating you?"

The arm shifted on instinct. "The same as always. No problems."

"Good, good. And your missions?"

"Asura's been enjoying our time out again. Said he wants to go to the Moon, work out a year's worth of frustration on the Hive." Her father gave a smile at that. One that reached his eyes and lit up the entirety of his face.

He sobered quickly. "Crona, listen," he said, "I know things have been...tense for the last year now."

She shrugged weakly. "It's not like it wasn't deserved," she murmured. "Your orders were clear."

"You still do not regret it?"

"No. I'm sorry but I don't. I can't. It was for Asura."

He smiled ruefully. "Shaxx is right. You're too much like me. It's infuriating," he said, "This, I feel, is a chance for us to fix things." He put his hand back to her shoulder, "I would have no one else help me with this."

The warm, comforting hand dropped away. Crona missed it almost immediately. It was as if she was a child again. "My Ghost is sending Sol a list of items. I want you two to take some time retrieving them. Banshee will be your best bet and whatever he can't find, he should be able to direct you to." He turned and started back towards the table, where a few Guardians seemed to be waiting; requiring his attention but unwilling to intrude on the Commander's private conversation with his daughter. "In the meanwhile, I will see what other schematics I am able to discover. If we're lucky, we might even find a name. Go on. I'll contact you if I have any updates."

* * *

"Banshee."

"Crona." The old Exo looked up from his work, reassembling a sniper rifle he had taken apart. His hands never stopped moving, even as he was no longer watching his work. "What can I do for you?"

"I…" Her words trailed off as she looked down at what he was doing. "The scope."

"What about it?"

"It's in the wrong-" The Exo deftly flipped the weapon over, showing her that he was doing the entire assembly upside down as well as blind. "Who are you showing off for?"

He chuckled. "You were saying something?"

"I just told Sol to send you a list of items," she said, "Need them for a weapon."

He picked up a nearby datapad and started scrolling. "Hmm. Most of these I can get though it'll take a while. Especially this Arc engine. Haven't seen one of these specifications in years." Banshee brought the pad closer to his eyes. "Who gave you this list?"

"The Commander."

"I...swear I've seen these before." He shook his head. "Memory's not what it used to be." Banshee turned the tablet around and pointed to one item on the list. "Talk to Lakshmi-2 about this. Don't know why. Just know that you should."

Crona took the datapad from his hands. An Arc magnetizer. Along with an Arc engine and an insular containment frame. What kind of weapon were they creating? She wished she could talk to Ghost again. Whatever the weapon was, it would have had something to do with Kabr and no one in the entire system knew him better.

But the more she considered it, the more she found herself preferring it like this. If remaining in the dark meant she'd get to spend more time with her father and finally start putting this whole thing behind them, so be it.

* * *

_I've meditated before, Ikora. It's never helped much._

_Then try differently. Meditate but do not ignore your visions. Focus on them. I believe it is time we considered that they may be trying to tell you something_.

So here he was, following his teacher's orders like the good apprentice he was trying to be. That he had been before the Vault.

Kain maintained a list of his dreams as he could only see Aro's memories of them when he woke up. Kept tallies for the ones that showed up more often; the ones near the top of that list as well as the most recent would be his best bet.

"No fire."

"Aro, I understand its uncomfortable. But it's the most recent!" Kain argued, "The one most fresh in your mind."

Damn right it was the most fresh. He could still feel heat on his face. His throat still hurt from screaming, he still had that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that something was horribly, _horribly_ wrong. Aro swallowed and said again, "No fire."

"Alright. No fire. Which one then?"

Aro exhaled. "Let's go back to where it all started. The first dream."

He closed his eyes and took another deep breath. Then another. And another. With each one, Aro willed the tension from his shoulders, from his back, his neck, even his toes until not a single muscle in his body was clenched. Then he thought of it; the seven pairs of red eyes, the howling dark around them. He visualized each of their faces, the names, who they were, who they are now.

It took seconds for him to realize that his eyes were no longer closed.

It took a little longer for Aro to realize that he was no longer sitting on a floor inside the Tower. No, he was somewhere else entirely. A world of pitch black, deep, roiling fogs and howling winds. He stood, looking beneath himself to find no solid ground but an endless fall.

Another vision. Aro had no idea where this one had taken him and yet, deep down, he knew he had been here before. Occasionally, something akin to lightning would strike in the distance, giving him brief moments to observe this new world farther ahead than his own hand. Aro could just barely make out strange, towering structures. Like twisted, gnarled trees. Or the tentacles of some kind of dead abomination, frozen and fossilized in empty space.

"What is this place?" Aro twisted around, pulling air into his lungs that he couldn't believe was actually there. Why would his mind take him here?

A sharp sting pricked his heart, here and gone, but intense enough to have his hand grabbing for his chest. With it came...indication. Aro twisted around in the void again, this time on instinct and in the direction the pain seemed to point him towards.

In the distance, Aro could see the Heralds. Not just their general presence, dark silhouettes and deep red eyes but the Heralds, five of them, in their entirety. The stubble on Greed's face, the tired lines on Sloth's face, everything.

Aro focused in on Pride, always at the center of everything. No matter how many times he looked in the mirror and thought of his brother's face, it was jarring to see it up close again. There were more lines to him, more living on him, though he didn't at all appear the centuries he had been through. Pride just looked like an older Aro. A bit unkempt, broader in shoulder and chest. He definitely held his head higher and his back straighter. The look in his eyes seemed wild, almost hungry in an unhinged way. Did Pride look like him, before the years got to him? Or was Aro looking through a window into the past? So many questions and he was standing face to face with the man who could answer them all.

Aro was suddenly broken out of his trance. There was some kind of shift in the world around him. Not one so much as seen but felt. The same feeling of indication that pointed him towards the Heralds kept his attention there, on their faces, ever unmoving.

Pride blinked.

Aro stepped back. Pride was blinking. Pride was moving. Pride _never _moved, none of them did. But now they all were. Pride blinked again, his face contorting into confusion, surprise and anger. All the others, the four surrounding appeared stunned.

The stinging came back. This time in his stomach and this time, the pain lingered. It felt as if there was an open pit, swallowing him inside out. Every second Pride's eyes remained focused on him only made the pain worse and worse.

Pride's face slowly relaxed. His tensed shoulders fell and his large fists unclenched. Still with pain burning in his gut, Aro watched as the corners of his brother's lips twitched and then lifted into a small, warm smile.

Aro's eyes flew open and immediately shut again, blinded by the light of the meditation room. "Kain? Kain!"

"I'm here." His Ghost floated underneath his arms as he slowly moved them from his eyes, blinking and adjusting.

"My memories, you have them?" When Kain didn't respond, Aro called him again. "Kain, what is it? What's wrong?"

"I have memories, yes but...not yours. My own. Aro," he said, "I think I was there."

"What?"

"I was there. Yes, I see it now. Howling winds, deep fog…"

"Lightning in the background, revealing-"

"Weird, twisting spires. And the Heralds, watching us. Pride...smiled."

Aro leaned back on his hands. "This makes no sense. I didn't see you there. You're never there. But...this did feel different somehow."

"Another thing Aro. I'm checking the time now and it appears that about half an hour has passed."

Aro blinked in surprise. "Barely felt like ten minutes."

The sudden sound of the door opening captured their attention. Crona's voice came through in greeting and both turned.

Aro was on his feet in an instant. "The door opened."

"The door opened…" Kain repeated.

"Crona came through…"

"Yes. She...did."

The door was not open. Crona was not standing there, watching him stare at her like some kind of mind-addled idiot. Aro put his hand to his chest, feeling that familiar sting in his heart.

The sound of the lock disengaging nearly had Aro leaping from his skin and Kain darting behind him for protection on instinct. The door slowly slid open to reveal Crona, indeed staring at him like an idiot. Not that he was helping matters, of course. He watched her, she watched him watch her and then spoke. "You back?"

"Yes."

"You talk to Daniel?"

"Yes."

She smirked. "What kind of talking?"

"Get out."

She laughed at him and entered anyway. To her credit, she calmed him enough for him to sit back down. "You heard the news? About the Exo?"

"In passing," he answered. "But it's being mentioned a lot. Talk of the Tower."

"My brother went to Hideo. To discuss the appropriateness of a gala after what had happened. No avail."

"Unsurprising," Aro said, "Even if he does have a point."

"Cayde told me you were here," she told him, leaning back against the door.

"Meditating." He crossed his legs again, "Supposed to help me with my dreams."

"Any progress?"

"No...and yes." He described what he had seen, how he had felt. Kain filling in the gaps of whatever he might have missed. "I can't make sense of a single piece of it," he said, "But I can't deny what I've been feeling." He took a deep breath. "I'd like to try again."

Crona lowered herself to the ground, keeping her back to the door. "Go ahead. I'll stay here." So he does. It was easier this time. Before he knew it, the hum of the lights and Crona's breathing fell away, replaced by the same darkness.

It's quieter this time. Still foggy and hard to see but no howling winds. None of the Heralds were here like before. This was different.

For the first time, he could feel solid ground underneath his feet. He can feel grass crunching beneath him as well as the clink of stone. "Kain?" He called, his voice ringing out.

"_I'm here." _Aro could hear him in his head, feel him there, deeper than usual. But there was no time to question it, something was drawing him forward. It was the same feeling in his chest that pointed him towards the Heralds, that somehow _predicted_ Crona's arrival.

So step forward he did. Again and again until he felt like he was on the edge of...something. Below him and at a distance, Aro found himself facing a wide open plain. Dark shapes dotted the plain, featureless but humanoid, so he could tell that they were facing away from him and kneeling.

A single red light suddenly appeared, in stark contrast with the dark.

"_The Heralds?"_

"_But there's only one…"_

Kain stopped. A second appeared, close to the first. Then a third, then a fourth. The lights illuminated their surroundings only slightly but Aro could see the same shadow figures far ahead as the ones below his feet. The only difference was that these were turned to face behind themselves.

They turned to look at him.

Each and every single one of them was doing the same, twisting themselves around to lock their single red eyes on him.

And through all of it, a thundering, reverberating beat. Like a song with heavy, thudding bass.

Like a heartbeat.

Aro woke again, gently this time though it still took a little while for him to regain his bearings. "Kain, time?"

"Fifteen minutes." Aro stood, "We need to talk to Ikora. And the Speaker."

He turned to find Crona snoring and asked his Ghost again just how long they had been out for her to be falling asleep like this. "We will. Soon. Just…" he rubbed his eyes, "Give me some time to make sense of it."

Red. Why was it always red?

"We headin' out?" Aro helped Crona to her feet and stepped out into the hall after her.

"Yeah, I'm done."

"Anything new?"

"Some weird shit. I'd rather talk it over with Ikora first." She nodded. "But later. I'm going to find Daniel."

Crona suddenly stopped walking and before Aro could turn to face her, she let out the most obnoxious groan he had ever heard. Jarring enough to make him stop in his tracks. "Don't you two ever take a break? Do you know how many men would kill for your kind of stamina?"

"Well, in life, Crona, there are the haves and have-nots. And me and Daniel? The big guy? We have. We have _a lot_."

"Me and my father are working on a gun-"

"_Everyone's working on a gun these days,_" Kain snarked within Aro's mind.

"And when it's done…" she stuck a finger in Aro's face. "You're gonna be the first person I test it on."

She shoved past him and stalked off. "Is that a threat or a promise?"

"Both, egghead!"


	6. Cohesion

_**Cohesion**_

* * *

"Yield."

She was on Shino's back, trying not to think too hard about his gross sweat slicking her clothing. Her teammate was pinned onto his stomach, struggling to breathe with the small but muscled pair of arms tightening around his airway. They had been in this position often enough that Mira couldn't understand why Shino thought today would end any differently. His boundless optimism was something to be admired.

"Yield," Mira ordered again.

Shino spit and croaked, "Go to hell." He yelped in pain when her arms tightened even further.

"We've done this time and time again," she said through tight teeth, "Do you want to learn the lesson on your own or am I going to have to break your neck again?"

Shino went silent and Mira scoffed. The fool was considering it; the only thing more boundless than his optimism was his stubbornness. In typical Titan fashion, keep ramming one's head into an unmovable wall, wait for Ghost regeneration of brain damage or cracks in the skull cap then get right back to ramming. Maybe the wall will eventually get bored with him and just move itself.

Mira was not proud to admit that it's worked before. That she's thrown a match because for what the Awoken man lacked in technique, he made up for in raw strength and endurance. Only Jessie seemed to keep up with him and she was an Exo.

By the grace of the Traveler, Shino had no patience for it today. His hand hit the mat twice and he took in one loud, wheezing breath when Mira released her hold on his windpipe. She rolled off and bounded to her feet, raising her arms triumphantly to a rather pathetic smattering of applause to Guardians simply passing through.

A cough took her attention. "Best two out of three?" Shino wheezed, still face down on the mat.

Mira bent down to grab a towel. "I'm not getting roped into that with you again."

"Coward."

"Shut up, loser." She leaned against the railing, watching May far off to the side. She was barely paying them attention, her eyes glued to a book, her mouth a hard line. It took Mira several calls and almost getting out of the ring to get her attention. "Where's Katrina and her team?" she asked.

"Forgotten Shore," Was all May gave them.

"Doing…"

May looked up from her book again with a short flick of her eyes. "I don't know?"

"Swimming?" Shino called out, still in the same position flat on the ground. May dignified his response with a roll of her eyes and nothing more.

"Probably doing their own training." Mira lowered herself through the ropes and hopped down, climbing up the bleachers to where her things were, next to May. The Warlock took one sniff of the air and sidled over and away on the bench. Mira just moved closer. "As we should be doing."

May heard something in her tone. "What? I'm here."

"With a book."

"I trained earlier."

"And not with us." It was May's favorite go-to. That she trained earlier. She wasn't lying but if there was any time they should be putting more emphasis on acting as a unit, it was now. "May." Calling her name earned Mira nothing more than a sideways glance. "Together, next time," she said and then after feeling that it sounded too much like an order, she added, "Alright?"

"Fine."

Satisfied, Mira left her alone, as she so clearly wanted. She continued in her reading as Mira and Shino, finally up off his stomach, talked. She almost never spoke in the meanwhile except when spoken to. Mira worried but knew better than to put her on the spot. Only if it stretches on will she pry. With luck, it will resolve before the Iron Banner begins in earnest.

"You get fitted for the gala?" Shino had gotten to his feet and was leaning on the ropes of the training ring, his white hair tied back in a messy ponytail.

"May and I went a few days ago."

"Ah. I've got tomorrow."

Mira leaned back on the bench. "Is this the part where you ask one of us to accompany you?" She could see May's eyes shift slightly away from her book, an eyebrow raised, almost daring Shino to do so.

But Shino shook his head. "Nah, Christine will be up here. She's been hoping to get me in a suit for years."

"Oh, now I might show up."

Shino scoffed. "Just to watch her squee over me?"

"And to watch you preen for her, yes."

"I don't-"

"And then watch you deny it after, yes." False outrage gave way to indignant sputtering. He stood straighter and spoke clearer whenever the woman was around. Amusing to watch, like a boy with his very first crush rather than a grown man interacting with someone he had been dating for a while.

"They're still doing the gala? After what happened?" May's voice came as a bit of a surprise to the others, her tone deadpan, the question rhetorical.

"The factions are pretty keen on meeting us."

"That isn't a good thing."

"Let me enjoy the attention." Mira stretched out her legs with a long, obnoxious groan. She watched as what few people remained in the training room left for the night before she spoke again. She still lowered her voice. "I've noticed Aro spending more time with Ikora and the Speaker lately."

Shino's face darkened. May's did nothing at all. "When did he get back into their good graces?" he scoffed.

Mira's eyes flicked over to May. Now her face was doing something. "He does spend the most time around them," Mira pointed out, keeping her tone light and easy. "I also heard he went off world some time ago. Left in the morning, didn't return until the next and told nobody."

"Nobody?" Shino asked, "Not even his team? Or Daniel?"

"He went to Meridian Bay." May had her eyes in her book again.

"So he told you…" he gestured to her, "But no one else. Not his team or his boyfriend?" He scoffed again, "When did you two get so chummy? Should Daniel be concerned?"

May's eyes went from small and focused to wide and disbelieving and Mira knew whatever argument she had been trying to keep from bubbling up was raring to happen anyway. "He told me because I asked him when he returned." There was bite in her tone, much more than before.

Shino waved her response off. "Probably disappearing for the same reason he's spending so much time with Ikora again; that damn brother of his."

He practically spits when he says it. They all knew who Pride was. There was no way he could be anyone else. It was only Shino who mainly seemed to refer to him as Aro's brother. Some times, even in Aro's presence. It...wasn't fair. And Mira occasionally spoke up to defend him but her heart was never truly in it.

"_Pride_ has a name, Shino." May had turned her datapad off.

"So? Doesn't deserve the respect of me saying it?"

"But Aro deserves the disrespect of having it constantly rubbed in his face?" she demanded of him, shaking off Mira's hand when she reached out, hoping to bring her back down. May closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She got to her feet with her bag and without a look back at either of them, left the room. Mira supposed she should feel grateful that the argument didn't go further, even if she wanted to call her back.

Shino ducked under the ropes of the ring and dropped to the ground, muttering to himself. "It's like she doesn't even remember the Moon."

"We all remember the Moon, Shino," Mira said. He took the shirt she held out to him, "And Marie."

"But not like us, Mira! We trained with her for months! Fought with her, died with her." His tone, rising with each point given suddenly dropped. "Pushed her to respond to the call. She was _our_ friend, Mira," he spat, "And that red-eyed piece of shit killed her."

"Shino." Mira got to her feet. Even with the height of the bleachers, she still just barely came up to his chin. "Marie died for her. For all of us, so that we could escape. May was alive for not even up to a day when it happened and trust me, Shino, when you've been dead for so long, you remember the first things you see for the rest of your life."

Kayla had been revived within the deep recesses of a Warmind facility in Kenya. Asura remembered the Clovis Bray lab in India, with Sora hailing from a different part of the subcontinent. Jessie and Aashir, Ishtar facilities on Venus. Katrina still talked about her first weeks attempting to escape the Tangled Shore and Aro, the Fallen and the Cosmodrome. He still kept the gun, even if the old thing so rarely left his Vault.

Khan had found Mira in northeastern North America, among the ruins of a city once so massive, she found herself slightly surprised at how much smaller this City was in scale. Their journeys to the City had their varying levels of hardship but among them, May stood on a level of her own. The Guardian of a brave Ghost who risked the Hellmouth to find her. Whose first few hours were filled with mortal terror and the constant threat of a second death scrabbling at her back. Then loss; stomach wrenching grief for a Guardian she did not know and the found family that young Guardian left behind.

"Do not tell me you actually believe that May has forgotten about that. Because I promise you, she can't. She might wish she could but she can't."

"Then why does she act like it?" He waved his hand to the door. "Why does she insist on defending him?"

"She never defends Pride, Shino. She defends Aro." He rolled his eyes and turned away.

Aro's face still hurts to think about. Back on the Reef, after their brush with death, emotions were running wild and they said things they never should have. Mira struggled internally for months, attempting to find out just why she had repressed memories of that day, of that face. How could the trauma and grief be so pervasive that not even her Ghost could recognize Aro from Pride?

Pride's face wasn't the trigger. By extension, neither was Aro's. It was the feeling he gave off, the waves of nausea, hopelessness and dread that only such a sheer concentration of the Darkness could exude that took her back to that day on the Moon, even as she was mere seconds away from dying on Venus. But now she remembers. Now she remembers being trapped, locked out of transmat. Now she remembers Marie running into a stampede of Hive for the last time while the rest of them escaped the Hellmouth.

Now she remembers Aro's face, surrounding one solitary red eye, floating over the horde that took her friend. Shino remembered too and while she admonished him for his crassness on the matter, deep down, in her heart, she could not bring herself to fully condemn him.

"I'm going to get a drink," she heard him grumble, more to himself than her.

"You went yesterday."

He was already walking to the exit. "And now I'm going again today," he shot back, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Al-" The door shut and sealed before she could finish, leaving her alone in the training rooms with some time before the frames came in to begin cleaning for the night.

Mira dropped back down with a sigh. "Of all the times, Khan…"

The Ghost appeared. "This won't be the only Iron Banner, Mira. There'll be others."

"I wanted to win _this _one, Khan. Or at the very least, place." She started throwing things into her bag. "This could not have happened at a worse time."

The Ghost just watched as she did, transmitted a hair tie when asked and kept close to her shoulder as she began to exit. "There's a lot more going on in your head than the Banner, Mira."

"May's right," she sighed, "Aro doesn't deserve how he's been treated." The door slid open as soon she got to it. She politely nodded her greeting and let the cleaning frame pass before walking on. "But that face, Khan. Sometimes I look at him and I think I see red."

"Your heart rate has spiked a number of times."

"Then you know what I'm talking about." She took notice of how her feet were dragging along the ground. How just even thinking too much about these things seemed to give her a headache. "And I don't feel like discussing it further right now, so I'm just gonna go…" she trailed off with a yawn, heading in the direction of her quarters.

"You should eat," Khan told her, disappearing.

"Don't feel like cooking."

"You sure? That ramen place that just opened up still has their sale-" Her feet had already made the turn. "Thought you didn't feel like eating?"

"_Cooking_. I can always eat."

"Of course."

* * *

"Target down." Katrina let the air leave her lungs and pulled away from the scope. "What's the score-"

"We're both trailing you. You know this. Why do you keep asking?" Jessie lay propped up against a boulder, long legs spread out before her and nearly touching Katrina even from the distance she was sitting.

"Would you believe that I love reminding you?"

"No, not at all," Jessie drawled, matching sarcasm for what it was. A friendly game to double as training, Katrina had suggested. Sniping competition; whoever bags the most Hive heads wins. The situation her teammates were in, Jessie in second place with Sora dead last was their own fault for accepting. Katrina was damn near unmatched as a sniper, the two of them were just asking for an ass-kicking. They only ever agreed to her games because next time, it would be one of their turns and Jessie would get a kick out of throwing her around in the training ring.

With the game all but finished in Katrina's favor, she remained at the sniper position. Jessie could hear her murmuring to herself, just barely making out her words. Her sights were trained on an Acolyte, taking cover behind moss-covered boulders. "Come on, sweetie. Stick that pretty little head out for me, girl, I swear I'm gentle."

"A bit scandalous for polite conversation, don't you think?"

"I asked her to stick her head out, not anything really lewd like her ankle. Get your mind out of the gutter, Jessie," Katrina scolded with false seriousness, "This is a team of class. We're all classy ladies here." Her helmet disappeared and she pulled away from the scope to hack and spit into the water below, the helmet returning immediately after.

"How do you know the Acolyte's a girl?"

"I...huh. I just guessed." She pulled away again, "Sora, be a dear."

The Warlock took the rifle Katrina held out and peered through the scope. Jessie noticed her arms wavering slightly and put her hand underneath the weapon's barrel to stabilize her. "Male," she announced, "But seems to be making the metamorphosis into a Wizard, which requires taking on a Mother morph."

"So I'm sort of right." Sora held the sniper back but Katrina shook her head. She pushed the rifle back towards Sora and use her hand to stabilize the barrel when Jessie pulled her own back. "Aim a little lower to adjust for the kick. Just like that," she advised quietly, pushing Sora into a state of concentration. "Be ready...be ready... "

The sound of Sora's breathing stopped. The silence that passed remained for only a few seconds before it was broken by a loud bang. The Acolyte exploded into a shower of ash. Katrina whooped.

"A promising career terrorizing Guardians ended. Well done," Jessie said.

Sora looked as if she was trying not to appear too proud of herself. She handed the gun back to Katrina. "Thanks but it was probably just a fluke."

"Does it matter? The thing's dead."

"Yeah, well, Katrina is still our sniper."

Katrina's helmet disappeared again, brilliant white hair flowing down to her shoulders. "It's true, I love my sniping," she agreed, making a show of nuzzling the weapon. "Takes significantly more skill than being a shotgun ape."

"Somewhere in the Tower," Jessie said, "Shino just sneezed."

The laughter was raucous. If the Hive didn't know where they were before, they did now. When they finally came down and the silence returned, Jessie had just noticed how dark it was getting. The sun had yet to set entirely but the Moon was already full and bright over the Old Russian lake beneath them. "We should really do this more often," she said, "Without the pretense of training."

"Between the Banner and the Heralds," Sora pointed out, "Training is the only reason why we're able to get out."

Katrina dropped down flat onto her back with a groan. "You guys ever think about how still, we're only here on accident?

"Sometimes," Jessie answered. Sora only hummed in agreement, her face already contorting into that guilty look she wore whenever they talked about it. Even if it was her idea that put them in the wrong place at the worst time, none of them blamed her except for herself.

Katrina sighed, her eyes trained on the clear sky and the full moon. "Feels like things are speeding up, you know? Even if they've been silent for a while. They wanted to keep to the shadows but now that they can't, it seems the sensible thing to do."

Above all, they all felt for Aro. What a horrible way to find out that you were never as alone as you once thought.

With everything that's happened, how everything started only compounds. Katrina was the most vocal about what they were all feeling; they'd hate to die for this mess. They'd hate to lose each other even more.

"Think we should start heading back?" Jessie pulled herself to her feet.

"Yeah. Nothing left for us-" A beam of Void energy tore through the chunk of stone shielding them from below, cutting off Katrina's yawning. "Really? Really?! That was just r-" Another blast cut her off again and she ducked with a high pitched yelp. It seemed that the Hive had grown tired of their antics, deploying an Ogre in the hopes of snuffing them out.

Jessie ducked behind what remained of their cover just as a Shredder shot darted over her head. "Start bringing the ships within-Katrina, what are you doing?"

The Hunter had her helmet back on and her hood up, two hand cannons brandished in each hand. "Going to pay them back!"

Sora flinched when another blast tore through their cover. "We did kind of start it."

"Now we're about to end it."

"Can we at least talk-" Katrina had already thrown herself over cover, felling Hive shot by shot. "Can you believe her?"

"I can't believe you still need to ask." Sora propped herself up on the row of stone, and put MIDA to her sight, firing on any Hive that attempted to flank Katrina down below.

Jessie's gaped, mouth opening and closing before she sighed. "Yeah, neither can I."

The Hive's attention was taken by the booming roar of thunder. The Ogre, having managed to pin Katrina behind cover for it to bear down upon turned towards the source of the noise. Jessie's lightning sheathed frame rammed into the side of the monster's head so forcefully, it's upper body was forced to twist around.

It's gaze turned back onto the Lightbearer it had been hunting before and before it could take focus and fire, a burning spear of Solar Light shot through its eye, it's own outraged screams drowned out by the ear-piercing crack of two more blasts of golden fire being shot off and the shredding pain of them spearing through its body.


	7. King's Gate

_King's Gate_

* * *

Aashir shifted in place on the hot bed of stone. "Any change, Aveline?"

"None," came the quiet reply. "Just soldiers stomping up and down the dunes, like they own the place."

Aashir shifted again, beginning to believe dropping down to his stomach had been a bad call. The sun seared the desert angrily and unlike the others, he didn't have much in the way of shade, using a higher perch to keep out of sight. He thanked the Traveler for his lack of sweat glands. Even with shade, Aveline and her brother must've been miserable.

The three of them had been out in the Valley of the Kings for a week now. Ikora had them tracking Cabal movements, a job usually reserved for Cayde's scouts but something about the pattern of it seemed to bother her. A week staring down the scope of a sniper told Aashir why.

He must have passed by it a dozen different times in the span of years and still, it remained a distraction. One that has still managed to stop the Warlock in his tracks on his trips through here. And how could it not? The Valley Vex gate towered over every other structure within the vicinity, the exceptions being Cerberus Vae and the mountains themselves. Aashir was positioned near a small Cabal base, directly facing the King's Gate and even from his distance, it was daunting. Josef was stationed closer, hidden within the dunes next to the construct while Aveline remained further back, in a position that put her directly across from the Cabal landship and kept the Vex structure within the corner of her eye.

Ikora's interest was in the Cabal. Multiple reports over the past few months have shown the Cabal attempting to take the gate. Every single incursion is met with violent resistance from the Vex patrolling in front. Each attempt has failed, with the Cabal pulling back in order to preserve their numbers for another. The Vex that were destroyed were always replaced, by the usual Martian subtype, the Virgo Prohibition. Nothing out of the ordinary. But the Cabal seemed to know something and whatever it was, they wanted the gate for it.

"Movement." Aveline's voice was hushed and from her, that instilled a sense of urgency better than anything else. "They're getting agitated."

Aashir pushed his discomfort to the back of his mind. "Directly from Cerberus Vae?"

"Yeah and lots of them. Moving quick. They'll be in view soon."

Soon was sooner than expected. The Cabal sent a large contingent. Nothing like the numbers they'd usually see on strikes but much larger than their previous attempts. Three Colossi, two Psions in Interceptors and a number of Legionnaires and Phalanxes. For the first time in days, this could go very differently.

"Josef?"

"Still here, boss," he replied, sounding every bit as miserable as Aashir had expected him to.

"Have you got the group in sight?"

"The ground is shaking with each step. I've got them well in sight."

"What do you make of their numbers? Their chances?"

No response.

"Josef?"

More silence. Then a quiet rush of air. "Sorry. Was almost spotted," the Titan breathed. "And as for their chances, I'd be very surprised if they didn't take it this time."

"You think so?"

"The Cabal are bringing in three Colossi. They'd only need one to take down the Hydra and once they do, the battle's pretty much over."

"Should we interfere?" Aveline then asked, "I doubt we'd need to. Even if the Cabal took the gate, what are the odds they'd know what to do with it?"

It was her Ghost who answered. "Pretty high. They wouldn't be fighting so hard for it, don't you think?"

"That's…a good point, Esila."

"What's the play, Aashir? We movin' in?"

Josef sounded so hopeful, Aashir almost didn't deny him. "We hold," he said, "Observe the battle and be prepared to pick off any survivors." He wouldn't agree that the gate in Vex hands would be a better option than the Cabal but as long as the Vex have held it, nothing worth worrying about has occurred. The status quo didn't benefit them but at the moment, it wasn't hurting either.

Besides, Ikora only wanted intel and they were still suffering from the last time they had failed to obey orders. It's a wonder she didn't have the three of them disavowed as her Hidden. There wasn't even a precedent for doing so, no one Ikora trusted so well betrayed her. Not Chalco, not Aunor and certainly not them, or so she believed. So they all believed until the Vault.

Now Aashir did as told and made sure to treat this whole business with the Heralds as what it was; a job. A matter of life or extinction but a job nonetheless. Keeping the others at a distance has become easier ever since Pride had revealed himself. Easier, at least, to keep Aro at a distance. It kept Aashir professional when working with him and being professional kept him cordial, even if admittedly, a bit cold at times. He wasn't sure if he felt bad about it yet.

* * *

This fight certainly did go differently. Not another routine skirmish, no, this one dragged itself out. As Josef predicted, as soon as the Hydra was down, the battle began to shift in the Cabal's favor. High powered slugs ripped through beaten bronze and Vex units were dropping like flies. The others seemed to be enjoying the spectacle, commenting on tactics and maneuvers, enjoying any break they could get from the monotony. Aashir declined to join in but he sympathized. He was becoming restless too.

But every battle had an end and this one's own was rapidly approaching. Josef had been right, the Cabal had taken this fight almost effortlessly. The last remnants of the Vex forces included two Goblins and a headless Hobgoblin, the Minotaurs and Hydra long since destroyed, while the only losses suffered by the Cabal being a few Legionnaires and a single Interceptor. Aashir still felt it best to take out whoever was left. He and Aveline could remain where they were, pick off the Legionnaires and the remaining Interceptor riding Psion. The Colossi and the Phalanxes, with their defenses, would prove more difficult at longer range. It seemed Josef would get the fight he was hoping for.

Aashir opened his mouth. His Ghost spoke first. "Guardians, I'm detecting a massive spike of energy within the area. And I mean, massive."

"Feeling it too," Hernan agreed.

"So it's not just me," Esila said.

"Source, Fel. Give us a source." Aashir put the sniper to his eye, trained it on one of the Colossi, the one nearest the King's Gate.

"There's a bit buzzing all over but it all seems to be converging onto the King's Gate. It's…"

Aashir slowly pulled away from the sniper scope. "Turning on." His gaze dropped to the stone underneath his feet. The pebbles were jumping. More fell from the stone over his head and joined them. The ground was trembling.

The spiked metal arches of the King's Gate began to glow, strongly enough that even with the sun still so high up, his attention was still torn away from the ground. Arcs of white radiolarian lightning jumped back and forth across the metal frame and within the center, the very air began to violently twist and fold in on itself. Dozens of times, Aashir had been here and not once had ever seen or even detected activity from the gate. The sight of it was so mesmerizing, he could almost ignore the quakes beneath his feet growing in intensity.

"Aashir? Aashir, what's the plan?" Adrenaline could be heard in Josef's whispering, in the slight tremble of his tone. Pure but contained. Like a powder keg, waiting for him to light the fuse. The result would be just as explosive.

"Hold," He ordered again, "We need to hold. We need to see what they're-"

The air beneath the gate exploded in a cloud of static. Bodies began to materialize and marching out in droves came the strangest Vex Aashir had ever seen. Old things, with the same basic structures and frames but covered in an ever-present layer of green, with strands of what appeared to be plant life hanging off of their limbs. Within seconds, they matched the Cabal's remaining force. A few more passed and they outnumbered their assailants, three to one.

The battle started up again in earnest. The quaking underneath their feet hadn't stopped but instead, became due to the explosions rather than the gate itself. The gate's energy levels had yet to drop. Aashir was the farthest away and even he could feel the static in the air. For a second, he thought back to the Moon. How Gluttony's loss of control and subsequent transformation could be felt by every single Guardian on the Lunar surface. He could almost hear Ikora's voice in his ear, demanding an explanation.

"This is strange," Josef mumbled, probably more to himself than anything.

Aashir responded anyway. "What is it, Josef?" He asked, bringing his sniper back up.

"These new Vex," he indicated, "They aren't really fighting as a unit. Not like they usually do."

He could see it. They fought differently than any of the other subtypes they encountered, moved differently. These Vex weren't being cohesive or methodical. They were rampaging, tripping over each other in order to practically throw themselves at their foes.

And the kills. The kills were far from clean. The remaining Interceptor piloting Psion found itself grabbed head first out of its vehicle by a Minotaur and thrown down before being beaten into the sand. The shield wall of the Phalanxes was broken through like a flimsy dam and all the Cabal behind it found themselves swept up in the rushing wave. Aashir even found himself grimacing as he watched several Goblins swarm a single Colossus, actually ripping their way through its armor and exposing leathery skin to the dry Martian air. The Colossus, trying and failing to shoot them down, outright dropped its weapon and used its bare hands to throw the Vex off, even as waves of them kept coming. Its struggling continued until one Goblin that had latched onto its back made its way up the Cabal's head. The suffocating Colossus dropped to its knees, stubby fingers grabbing desperately at its throat as more and more Vex continued to pile on, obscuring the corpse from Aashir's sight.

"One Colossus left," Josef said, "Won't be long now."

The Colossus in question was the one Aashir had taken note of closest to the King's Gate. How it had managed to survive so long at the source of the tide was beyond them. But it was holding out, even after the rest of its group lay dead on the ground, soon to be buried by the sand-shifting wind. The barrel of its gun glowed red hot as it kept spinning and firing, erratically so but with this many targets and your own death drawing closer and closer, how much could accuracy matter?

"Energy readings are spiking again, Aashir."

Fel warned him but Aashir could already feel the trembling. "Guys, the gate's opening again."

Josef scoffed. "For what? The Vex have won. This Colossus is on his last leg, he's just trying to go out in a blaze of glory."

"We watch and we find out what."

"Energy's at its max again, Guardians!"

Aashir kept his sniper trained on the battlefield, preparing himself to take quick notes of numbers, enemy types and any other kind of info within the half minute this last leg of the battle was going to go on.

The roiling energy at the center of the King's Gate expanded outward, forcefully enough that the Colossus turned its attention and its gun away from the Vex to face it down, its heavy slug thrower spinning up in anticipation.

A Vex unit did come out, just not in its entirety. The only part of the machine that materialized within the King's Gate was a single massive arm.

Again, Aashir's gun slowly lowered from his sight in stunned silence. With the ringing in his head, he could barely hear Josef curse or the silent Aveline let out a shuddering breath.

The limb hung in the over the Colossus' head, obscuring the soldier entirely with its shadow. The seconds it remained there passed like hours. But eventually, the arm began to fall. Even without staring down the sights his gun, Aashir could pinpoint the exact moment the Colossus had given up on getting out alive.

Leave it to the Vex to make him feel sympathy for the Cabal.

Aashir was nearly thrown off his perch when the arm landed. A massive geyser of sand blasted into the air, obscuring everything beneath the gate from view. Even when the rumbling settled, his vision did not. Neither did his voice. "Damn it. I've lost visual entirely but…" He brought the sniper back up. He could just barely make out shadows and red lights. "I think they're retreating."

Simple observation was no longer enough. The Cabal just woke something up and they need to know what it was. "We need a specimen to examine, before they leave," Aashir said, "Aveline, if you have a target on any Goblin or Hobgoblin, I need you to take the-"

The sharp crack of a high-power rifle firing echoed over the Valley of the Kings. Then Aveline's telltale exhale. "Target down."

* * *

Aashir hopped off his Sparrow and ran the rest of the way while Fel sent it back to his ship. He slowed significantly when he came across his first Cabal corpse. Then another and another. It was easier to think less of the Cabal's loss when one was so far away from them. The last group had been bigger than the rest but the preceding ones had never been by any means small. Stepping over their corpses, he could see that now.

Aveline had gotten to her downed target first. A Hobgoblin, covered in a layer of moss that made it look as if the machine had spent its entire existence within some sort of jungle. The only place Aashir could name with so much green would be Venus and until the destruction of the Nexus Mind at their hands, they'd been actively working to change that. Esila was hovering over the frame, a cone of light emanating from her eye while her Guardian crouched beside her, keeping protectively close.

Josef ran up to them last. "Aveline..."

"Scan's rounding up," she responded. A few more seconds passed before she rose to her full height. "Done. Sending to your Ghosts now."

Aashir took a moment to go over what Esila had found with Fel within his head. "The Sol Divisive," he murmured out loud.

"Doesn't sound familiar. Another Martian subtype?" Aveline asked.

Josef was shaking his head before she could finish. "No, no. Mars has only ever had the Virgos."

"And what's stranger," Hernan spoke up, "Is that the Virgo Prohibition have always stuck to the Meridian Bay. They've had sightings in other regions, especially the Basin down south but not much else. And a lot of this unit's directives come from coordinates that are...unchartable."

"You mean they're not on Mars?" Aashir asked.

"They're not even in this solar system. Or the next one over."

Aashir turned his gaze from the Ghost back to the Vex. "It seems our friend here got its directives from something called a Gate Lord," the Ghost said, "The orders translate directly to 'Sinus Meridiani Gate under siege. All hostiles are to be eliminated."

Aveline turned. "Sinus Meridiani?"

"Meridian Bay in old Latin or Italian, I can't remember." There was an uncomfortable question to be asked as to why the Vex were using Earthen languages but this wasn't the place for it. An issue for the Gensym Scribes, he supposed.

A quiet, gurgling growl had all three of them reaching for weapons. They relaxed once they'd located the source. Aashir stepped over the Vex unit and approached the gate, stopping before the Cabal Colossus that had been crushed under the Gate Lord's hand. By some miracle, the soldier was still breathing, its respirators humming weakly underneath the helmet. The eyes were open and it was watching the Guardians as much as they were watching him, its long, thick fingers twitching uselessly in the direction of its dropped weapon.

An idea began to brew in Aashir's mind. "The Cabal wouldn't be so interested in this gate if they didn't know something," he said. He took his eyes off the dying Colossus to look back at the base and then the landship farther off. "I say we go back to their base. Find this 'something'. Right now, it's our best chance at an explanation for what we just saw."

"Base is probably packed," Josef pointed out, shrugging in fake nonchalance. "Probably on high alert too."

"I'll hack into their systems while you and Aveline give them something to think...Josef!" He called at the Titan's retreating back, watching him sprint across the dunes.

"He's been wanting to do that since we got here." Aveline took her eyes from her brother to the still breathing Colossus. "I'll join him. Start something up so you can sneak in. You'll take care of this?"

"Hmm. Go ahead." Aashir kept his eyes locked with the Cabal's while Aveline's running footsteps faded into the distance. Then he lifted his boot to the sealed edge of the Colossus' helmet, where it joined the rest of its armor, and struck down.

* * *

"I'm in. Easier than expected," Fel said.

"Watch for security, Fel. The Cabal are good at putting it where we least expect it." An explosion rocked the ground beneath their feet. Aashir put his body between the outside world and his Ghost and twisted around just in time to catch a cackling Josef riding past on a struggling, thrashing Cabal. As soon as they were out of sight, Aashir heard the crack and watched an empty Cabal helmet go flying past along with the strangled cry of a suffocating Legionnaire. They were overdoing it.

Fel didn't seem to mind the commotion. "Gotten past all that. Unfortunately, they don't have much. Barely anything on the gate and nothing concrete. Nothing at all on the Sol Divisive either."

"Not even previous contact?"

"Not even that. This was their first. And nothing matching the coordinates the Hobgoblin was holding."

The familiar sound of three Golden shots being fired off silenced three individual Cabal shrieks. Aveline landed right at the entrance to the computer terminal Aashir and Fel were trying to search through and walked in. "How's the search going?"

"Poorly," Aashir responded, watching a lightning-covered Josef whizz past behind her and then feeling the very ground shake. "Nothing solid. Nothing we can really use-"

"Aashir." Aashir was already feeling his Ghost's sense of urgency in his head. "I've hit something."

Aashir stepped closer. "Hit? Something? What's something." He started typing.

"A very solid wall of security. Much stronger than anything else I've encountered in their systems."

The terminal was suddenly rocked by an impact. Josef had been thrown into the wall and slid down, getting to his feet and shaking off the blow as if he didn't just leave a dent in solid metal. "Big things tend to hide behind big doors," was all he said before charging back into the fray.

Aveline turned back to Aashir. "Any ideas?"

"Just one. Fel, tag the data," he ordered, "Make it untraceable but in a way that we can find later if we need to." He moved away from the computer and let the Ghost work. Aashir sighed and leaned against the wall, feeling the long held off exhaustion finally start creeping into his joints. "Today's been nothing but strange," he muttered, "I really hoped we could go a little while longer without strange."

"Not that it makes much of a difference but at least this is Vex strange and not Herald strange," Aveline pointed out, "It's still pretty normal work. For us, at least."

The terminal rocked again, this time hard enough to nearly knock Aveline off balance. Instead of finding her brother, she looked up to find herself face to face with a Cabal Phalanx, who had shaken off its impact induced daze first and was already reeling back from a vicious strike with its shield when its helmet suddenly blasted off.

Aveline blinked and turned to come face to face with Aashir and smoking hand cannon. "I don't share your optimism," he grumbled, holstering the weapon. "But it's too early to speculate. Fel, are we clear?"

The Ghost pulled away from the computer. "We're good to go. Anyone of us can find it later if necessary."

"Then prepare for transmat. Josef?" Aashir called over comms. "Josef, we're leaving."

A loud, obnoxious groan came over as a response, punctuated by another earth-shaking slam and the ear-splitting crack of thunder.

Aveline snorted. "Give him a few minutes," she then suggested, "He knows the way home."

"Fine. Josef, wrap up here. We'll meet you in orbit."

Josef fell and landed from directly above with another dead Legionnaire beneath him to break the fall. He gave them two enthusiastic thumbs up, then grabbed the Cabal corpse by its armor and launched the dead thing back at its own comrades before hurling himself back into the crowd right behind it.


	8. Innocence

_Innocence_

* * *

"Knock. Knock," Daniel announced, banging his fist against the door frame and snorting at the way his brother nearly jumped from his skin.

Tarlowe quickly righted himself. "That wasn't necessary."

Daniel just shrugged. "You busy?" He asked, clearly seeing Tarlowe's eyes return to his computer.

"That's never stopped you before."

Daniel stepped in and let the door close behind him. "At least I asked this time."

Caesar spoke up. "He was coached."

"Hush."

That made his perpetually sour-faced brother finally smile. "You're doing well?"

"As well as I can with the weight of the world on my shoulders."

Tarlowe hummed. "Speaking of, is Aro still here or did he leave already?"

Daniel was grabbing a chair and pulling it towards his brother's desk. "He's around here somewhere. He spoke to you?"

"Barely stopped to say two words but yeah. Wouldn't even come inside." The typing stopped and Tarlowe looked up. "You two doing alright? He looked...stressed."

"We're fine," Daniel answered, maybe a bit too quickly. Changing the subject, also too quickly, he nodded at Tarlowe. "Still wearing mom's ring?" Tarlowe's hand immediately came up to the shimmering gold dangling from his neck. "Any progress on the SUROS Regime?"

He was already shaking his head, his brow tight and furrowed. "The notes for the alloy dad made are lost. I've been studying his ring and how it works in your rifle but…" Tarlowe stopped, pinching the bridge between his eyes. "I'd be more patient with it but I do want dad's ring back." He flicked the one at his chest. "Never much enjoyed necklaces but this thing won't fit around my finger."

"Give it to Christine then. Or Maya."

Tarlowe's lips thinned and he grabbed it again. "Never much enjoyed necklaces," he repeated, "But something is better than nothing." His eyes were distant, even as they remained trained in Daniel's direction. He always did have the strongest memories of their mother. "Maybe Christine, one day. When Shino finally grows a spine and asks the question." That had Daniel laughing again.

"Now about the gala-"

Daniel threw back his head and groaned,

"Exactly."

"Heard from Aro that Z tried to get it cancelled and failed."

Tarlowe fell back in his chair. "He spent a good half hour ranting into my ear about it."

"And you sat through the whole thing?"

"I put it on speaker and just let him talk while I worked." Tarlowe straightened up, sobering quickly. "I won't be going, Daniel."

Daniel's eyebrows raised and Tarlowe chuckled dryly. He was part of the Consensus. He was expected and his absence would turn heads. Even Z still planned to attend. Tarlowe wheeled his chair out from behind his desk and slowly made his way to the ornate wooden shelves lining the wall. He stopped at one and pulled it open, digging through a mess of mainly paper files. More difficult for the unauthorized to get ahold of. "Is the place not accommodating?" Daniel finally asked, watching his brother pause in his search before continuing.

"They could do better," he muttered. Probably more to himself than Daniel. He found what he was looking for and started the trip back, as slow as he left. "It's amazing what you don't think about before it affects you. Then again, no one ever answers, 'never walking again', when asked about their future."

Daniel stared down at his fingers, clasped together. Sometimes, he could still see the blood coating them. His brother's lifeblood, staining the white floors of the Tower plaza as red as his hands. "Does anything hurt?" he asked, his voice barely rising above a whisper.

Tarlowe shook his head. "No. That went away too."

Daniel's fingers tightened. "I'm...I'm so-"

Tarlowe swiftly cut him off. "You need to stop, Daniel. Stop apologizing. I don't blame you, I don't blame Mira. I don't blame Aro or even our uncle. Pride's the one pulling all the strings."

A reminder that much, much worse would be coming intruded on Daniel's mind and his fingers tightened again, to the point of slight trembling.

"Speaking of Pride." Tarlowe's voice had Daniel looking up again, "I have to ask. Is it...difficult? Looking at Aro, I mean."

Daniel was taken aback by the question and his face probably showed it. "Sometimes," he answered truthfully. "Their accents are different though. And the eyes help."

"I hope everyone else is taking this as well as you are."

"It varies. And I know Aro feels it."

"Can't blame him." Tarlowe gave another loose shrug, "Either way, my disability isn't the reason I'm not going. Just don't feel like dealing with that roiling den of snakes." There was venom there. Something more was going on.

"Aren't some of those snakes your own people?"

Tarlowe guffawed, "They're the main ones I'm talking about! As of late, I've been suggesting to other members of the board that it would be to everyone's benefit to cooperate with the other foundries rather than keep this constant competition going. To better arm the militia and the Guardians."

"And...that's angered people?"

Tarlowe pointed a finger at him. "Your victory in the Vault of Glass elevated us ahead of the rest. People know of it, they know you were a part of it, they know your name, they recognize us. My suggestion reads as asking to slow down while we're ahead." He scratched the dark stubble along his jawline. "Even talk of removing me from my position. Claims that my trauma has left me 'unfit'."

Daniel's frowned. Tarlowe went on, "If the idea gains traction and enough people agree, I'd be persuaded. The foundry would still belong to us. I'd just have no control over it." He waved his hand dismissively, "Enough about that. I heard you all were being forced to go."

"The Speaker said it would be best if we did. That and Hideo invited us." Tarlowe's face twisted into a scowl. "Yeah, Ikora made the same face. I'll be honest, I don't know that much about him. Aside from who he is to us, I mean." he went on.

"Do the others know?"

"No. No proper way to tell them.

"Well, Hideo. Self-interested, first and foremost. And very persuasive. You Guardians are political currency in this City and he's good at taking advantage of that. They all are," he explained, "The more famous, accomplished or powerful the Guardian, the more influence over politics their loyalty can give the faction. Always pissed off the factions of old that Guardians like Shaxx and Saint-14 stayed loyal to the Vanguard and the Vanguard alone."

"And what exactly do they think they're gonna change?" Daniel demanded.

"Maybe nothing. Won't stop them from trying and if they can't take you all together, they'll gladly take you in pieces. So, word of advice; watch each other's backs. Aro's especially."

"I watch him," Daniel murmured, his tone becoming low and quiet again. "I watch him very closely."

Every dark thought that had begun to crawl its way into Daniel's mind fled once he caught sight of the expression on Tarlowe's face. "I meant keeping an eye-why does everyone's mind go there?!"

"Because it's the only time anyone ever sees you blush." Tarlowe always did take more pleasure than most needling the young man. "Christine won't be back till later. You staying the night?"

"I will. I'll ask Aro if he wants to do the same," said Daniel, fully aware of how unlikely it was he would agree.

Tarlowe hummed. "Meanwhile I'll get back to work."

"New weapon?"

"Nope."

"Well, what is it?"

"Secret," he said simply, nodding his head towards the exit. "You can probably find him with Maya. No doubt she's needling him with every question that's popped into her head over the last few months."

"Maya. Right." Daniel forced his fingers to unclench again. He stood, once again, too quickly. "I'll go there now."

"Don't get lost."

"Shut up."

* * *

Maya was talking about…something. Or better yet, everything, jumping from topic to topic, barely pausing to catch her breath, let alone finish a story. In any other case, Aro would find it endearing, how she was unconsciously attempting to make up for lost time.

Not in this one. In this case, Aro wished he could be anywhere else but here, with her, by himself. He was situated in one too-small chair, practically curled into himself while she talked and moved about the room, shrinking even further away when it appeared as if she might even so much as brush up against him. This was a bad idea. He shouldn't be here. There was no one in the City more dangerous for her to be around than him and the very thought caused him to hurt every time like it was the very first.

Maya had changed considerably in the years since they first met. She was full of her sister's kindness, her eldest brother's ingenuity, even Daniel's hardiness. Aro could already begin to see the kind of person he knew she'd grow to be; the leader who could inspire the likes of Sona, Cole and even the hardened, old, decrepit Aashir to take up arms against such an insurmountable enemy.

He hated it. This should not be her war. She was just a child; a child whose life had been marred by tragedy early on, but a child nonetheless. She was becoming everything Aashir said she would; they were still on the path to that terrible future. And while Aro did not fully know how or when but just that he was the catalyst for her to become what she would become.

His gut instinct was right. He should be as far away from her as possible. Even leave the City, if that's what it would take to keep her and the others safe.

"Aro!"

Aro snapped back to reality. Maya was standing before him, her face coming into focus, full of worry. "I called your name twice but you didn't answer," she told him, "Are you alright?"

Movement off to the side caught his eye. It took him half a second to shift his gaze and see what it was and even less time to jerk suddenly away from it.

Maya's hand drew back. Her face was so full of confusion and hurt, Aro was already apologizing before the guilt could even fully set in.

She nodded and quickly mumbled that it was alright. Aro wanted to believe it. A much quieter and more reserved Maya than the one who was just dashing back and forth across her room, talking her head off, sat down on the bed. Aro forced himself to relax some, turning his head to look out at the setting sun.

"Do you still think about it?"

He turned back. She was watching him with wide, earnest eyes. "The Vault, I mean."

He blinked at the question and didn't answer, at first.

"Daniel had bad dreams for a while," she went on, "And of the Moon."

Aro couldn't say that all of his dreams were premonitions of the future or visions. Some really were just dreams. Rarely were they ever any better. He still dreamed of Sona, cut down by the hands of her own friend. How he barely caught half a second's glimpse of her lightless eyes before Pride vaporized their compound and her tattered remains along with it.

Her friend, her killer, Cole. It was shameful how long it took to dawn on Aro how young the man was. Nothing in his features but his mannerisms. He was wide-eyed and excitable. Not so hardened by battle and loss as his comrades. He was optimistic. He was hopeful. The last Aro and Daniel saw of him, the true him, was before they were taken to see Aashir. The very last of him they saw at all was a shadow; like the Darkness was wearing the young man's body like clothing. The Taken Awoken sped through the base like a bullet, cutting down everything in his wake. Afterwards, he twitched and he spasmed but he did not move or make any attempt at all to defend himself as a rage-blinded Aro charged in to kill him.

Just as his King had ordered. Just as the future Aro had ordered. The younger would kill him, Pride would have the Vex gate brought to them, Aro would return to the Vault, kill Wrath(K) and continue down the path that led them to that future. All according to plan.

And Aashir…

"Yes," he finally answered, croaking more than speaking. He turned his head back to the window, so as to hide any tears that managed to fall. "Every day."

"It's scary." Her admission and how soft her voice had become made him face her again. "I know Guardians are supposed to be brave but…I've never felt very strong. I've never felt very brave."

_If only you knew. You'd never doubt yourself again. _

Aro leaned forward in his seat, moving just a bit into her space. "Those were very special cases, Maya. Not ones you need worry about."

She shrugged loosely. She didn't believe him.

"I have dreams too," she said, breaking the silence again.

"What about?"

She shrugged again. "Don't really know. I don't really see as much as I…feel things. Does that make sense?"

It did and it didn't. Aro beckoned her to continue.

"It's like before Toland…Gluttony, died the second time. When I focused on the Moon, I'd feel very strange. Drained and tired all of a sudden," she went on. She tore her eyes from her fidgeting hands. "Sometimes I hear a voice. It's muffled, so I can't hear what it's saying but the voice has this…accent."

Aro's nails dug into his leg.

"I've never heard the accent before. Do you know what it is?" Maya asked.

Aro kept silent for a few seconds until he could ensure his voice would remain steady. "I don't know your dreams, Maya. I couldn't tell you."

She blinked. "Right. Sorry," she apologized, shaking her head, "It just…felt like you knew it."

He swallowed audibly, fingers carving painful grooves. If he wasn't careful, he'd start drawing blood. "I haven't heard it as of late. Other times, I feel sand beneath my feet," she described, "And cold water splashing on my face. Like rain." Her face broke into a small smile while she explained. A happy dream. That was good.

"Sometimes you're there."

"On the sand?"

She nodded. "And other places. And it makes me feel better." Her smile slowly lowered, "But those don't come as often anymore either."

Slowly, Aro slid from his chair and dropped to his knees before her. He put his hands to her shoulders, so tiny in comparison. "What dreams do you see now?"

She didn't speak but her eyes darkened.

"It's not unusual for Warlocks to have dreams like this." It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the truth either. "Tell me. Maybe I can help you understand."

"Dark," she said. "Not like…no light. But like a thick black cloud covering the entire place. Makes me feel like if I started walking into it, I'd never find my way out again."

She intertwined her fingers again. Beneath Aro's hands, her shoulders shivered. "I'm standing but my legs and knees feel weak. And my shoulders, they feel really heavy. It's a bit hard to breathe too."

A Darkness Zone. 'Dark, as in no Light' indeed.

"I can see something through the fog, though."

"What?" Aro knew he sounded too forceful, too urgent but he could no longer help himself.

"Red," she replied. "Red lights all around the cloud. Like…"

"Eyes."

She nodded. "Watching me."

"Sound, Maya." His volume was climbing. "What do you hear?"

The trembling increased. She remained silent.

"Maya!"

The bark came out so suddenly, it made the young girl jump. "A…a thumping," she stammered out, "Like…like a heartbeat."

There was ringing in his ears, too loud to hear or think of anything else. This was the confirmation, the final nail in the coffin.

_She was connected. To him, to his brother. To all of this. _

He and his brother would try to kill her for what she knew. Or more likely, what she was capable of discovering. And every single person they both loved would die trying to stop him.

The two of them started when Maya's door suddenly opened, Aro so suddenly that his balance was nearly lost. Still, he pulled back from Maya and rose to his full height. Daniel watched him as he did, eyes leaving his just for a second to flick towards his sister and back. The tension was practically physical.

Daniel opened his mouth. Aro spoke first. "I...something just turned up at the Tower. I need to return right away." He cursed his voice for shaking but he could only hold it back for so long.

Daniel's mouth closed again, his eyes still on Aro, unblinking and so painfully wary. Then he stood to the side and nodded towards the hall, giving him the go-ahead to leave.

Daniel stepped out of the doorway to let him through. Aro sped out as soon as the way was free, sparing neither a last look or last words. Behind him, in the background, he heard a small voice. Maya, probably saying goodbye. Silence from Daniel. He only walked faster.

* * *

Movement brought Daniel's attention back to his sister. She was rubbing her shoulders. Where Aro's hands had been. He stepped back into the room and moved her hand with his finger, revealing bright red skin.

"What happened?"

"It was nothing. It was just an accident."

Daniel ground his teeth. "What were you two talking about?"

"Just...some dreams I've been having," she said.

"That's why he grabbed you like that?" Her head snapped over to him, at the way the bass in his voice suddenly deepened.

"He didn't grab me like anything, Daniel." She shook out from under his hand, "He was just…look, it was just an accident, okay?" She said again.

He didn't respond. Maya shifted back on her bed and dropped her head down to the pillow. "I want to go to sleep," she stated, clearly trying to get him to leave.

He acquiesced, stepping back towards the door. "Alright. Dinner's in a few hours."

"I'm not hungry." She kept her eyes facing the window, refusing to meet his.

Again, against his wishes, he decided to leave it alone. "We'll have a plate in the fridge for you, in case you do." Daniel stepped out entirely and the door closed behind him. It locked a second later.

"_It was just an accident, Daniel_." Caesar's voice was jarring against the silence. Daniel didn't respond. He didn't need to, Caesar always knew what he was thinking. He started his way down the hall and back towards Tarlowe's office to tell him that Aro wouldn't be staying for the night.

* * *

_Had some reworking of the story to do but everything's settled now_


	9. False Smiles

_False Smiles_

* * *

The door slid open and Cayde trudged his way through. "Couldn't this have waited till the morning, Zavala? I'm not as young and pretty as I used to be," he said, affecting a yawn. Then a giggle. "I'm kidding. I'm always pretty."

"Cayde…"

"And I don't really age."

"Cayde."

"My point st-" Cayde stopped his march, just barely managing to avoid barreling over the chair seated at the center, as well as the person slumped in it. He craned his neck around, got one good look at Aro's face and managed to take one step back towards the exit before it closed and locked. Cayde's shoulders fell and he turned to Ikora. "Clever."

"Predictable." She took her finger off the button.

"Aro." It was Zavala who said his name. The Warlock barely reacted, head down and curled into himself. A man his height shouldn't look so small. "Start from the beginning," he ordered, gentler than an order would sound.

Aro's head came up. The low light cast shadows all over the walls and their faces. However exhausted they looked, he was sure he looked worse. He felt worse. Then again, it's always been a downhill spiral. He hasn't felt "better" a day in his life.

The Speaker remained the most quiet. A white statue of silence in the very back of the room, striking in the shadows.

A sharp bolt of pain shot through Aro's head. Groaning softly, he rubbed his left eye. "I meditated, as Ikora suggested," he began, "I was taken…somewhere. Me and Kain."

Ikora had begun to pace. "Where? Describe it, Aro."

"Pitch black. Like fire smoke blinding me. There were flashes of light that revealed structures off in the distance. I couldn't tell what they were." He stopped. Ikora stopped as well and looked over at him. "I'm sorry. There's not much to describe."

"It'll have to be enough. Go on."

He did. "I saw the Heralds. My…Pride, mainly," he said, "He reacted to me. Like he was surprised. He's never done that before."

Ikora turned to the Speaker. His head turned only slightly in her direction. "You've done something Pride did not expect," he said, "Maybe he's known of this ability to connect with him but just assumed you would never be able to master it."

"Has your brother made any other attempts to connect with you? Speak with you?" Zavala demanded, "We need to know."

Aro was shaking his head before he finished. "No, Commander. Never."

"I doubt he's made any attempt to look inside Aro's mind either. Or at least, he is unable to," Ikora said, a gloved finger rubbing her chin. "This may be something only Aro is capable of."

Zavala's hands clasped behind his back. "It would be a strong advantage over Heralds if that was indeed the case. But we risk too much attempting to test the theory. Pride can already see him."

Their voices began to muffle, fade in and out of Aro's hearing. He didn't believe it for a second, that he held any kind of secret advantage over Pride. Besides, it wasn't what he pulled them all here for anyway.

Through the muffling, he heard his name and his head moved upwards, more at the recognition than any acknowledgement. Cayde said his name again. That silenced the others, the fact that Cayde deemed whatever Aro had to say serious enough to give over his undivided attention.

When Aro finally craned his neck all the way to acknowledge him, Cayde simply asked, "What else?"

He swallowed. The lump in his throat only tightened. "There's one thing I saw when my mind went...wherever it went," he said, "There was some kind of stone beneath my feet. And grass. Lots of it. Off in the distance, I can see one red light. Like an eye."

Ikora had started her pacing again. "An eye? Like the Heralds."

"No, not like them. More like...the Vex."

"And you saw just the one?"

"It started with one. Then a second joined it," Then a third. A tenth, a thirtieth. It must've reached well over a hundred by the time it all stopped."

"And these eyes were doing…" Cayde beckoned him to continue.

"Staring at me. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had walked in on something." Aro bent forward, resting his elbows on his knees and facing the ground. "I couldn't see anything," he went on, "But I could hear. A loud thudding. Like a heartbeat."

"Where did you hear this heartbeat?" Ikora questioned, "In front of you? Behind?"

"It was everywhere. I could feel it even inside my head." Aro absent-mindedly put his hand to his chest, feeling his own heartbeat. Slow but steady. Surprisingly calm, despite everything. Daniel has fallen asleep with his head on Aro's chest, his ear to his heart more than once. He would never admit that the sound helped him relax, helped him sleep. His Ghost had to do it for him.

This was not that. This was nothing like that. This wasn't steady and calm, this was some hammer. A hammer being taken to the inside of Aro's skull and just beating away with abandon. That's how he knew it was connected to the Darkness. Darkness zones manifested as weights on one's shoulders, a tight, choking hand around the back of someone's neck. It wanted you to feel weak, smaller than you were, insignificant.

"There's more," he spoke up again and the Vanguard turned, having been talking quietly amongst themselves. "I went to the Suros' home yesterday." He could already see the uneasiness in their eyes. He would've sighed if he didn't agree with them wholeheartedly.

"I met with Maya. We talked. She mentioned a dream she's been having as of late."

Ikora spoke again first. "Was it similar to yours, Aro?"

"It was the same, Ikora." Aro's voice started to roughen. "It was the same. She described what I had seen word for word."

The Speaker stepped forward, further into view. "It seems there can no longer be any doubt. Maya is very much involved in all of this."

"But why?" Aro looked up, red eyes stark against dim light. "Why? She's a child," his voice cracked, "She's a child and I…I…"

"We do not know that, Aro," the Speaker told him, sure and calm in the face of calamity as always. "The future is never set in stone."

"We won't know until it's happening," Aro spat the words out like bile. Won't know until Pride comes. Won't know until the City is in flames. Won't know until he has Hawkmoon pressed against Daniel's head, his shattered Ghost before him, his brother and sister dead behind him and his only solace being that Maya got away.

"Aro." Zavala's quiet voice brought him back. "Until we know more, until things become clearer, I feel it best that you keep your distance from the Suros family." He paused to rub his eyes. He looked as ragged as Aro did. "I'm not saying avoid them entirely but keep your distance. For their safety."

Aro murmured his understanding. Agreeing to go with Daniel had been a terrible idea in the first place, he knew it. But he had missed them.

Cayde perked up. "What about Daniel?" He asked, "Shacking up is one thing but they work together. They need to."

The Speaker waved his hand. "I don't think it best to separate them. I'm against it, actually. For the sake of their work and themselves." He stepped a bit closer to Aro, lowering his voice just a bit. "The two of you are doing well, yes?"

"We are. We're fine."

He nodded. "Good. The same applies to the others as well." The Speaker turned to the Vanguard, "Nothing's changed. We tell no one about what Aro and Daniel saw in the future. Not until we have a sure way to avoid it."

"Aro, I want you to continue your meditations," Ikora told him, "Despite everything, I still believe these visions are messages. We'd do well to listen. As for this dark place within Aro saw Pride, we may have texts that reference them. By Ulan-Tan, Toland and maybe even-"

"Osiris," The Speaker finished when it seemed Ikora was hesitating. "Do that then."

Zavala held his hand out to Aro and helped him to his feet. "Gala's later tonight, Aro. You're expected, of course, but if you do not wish to go-"

"I'll be there, Commander."

Shining blue eyes roved over his face. "Alright. Try to sleep tonight. You'll need it."

He wouldn't. The Commander was right, of course. But he wouldn't. No matter what he suffered while awake, what he suffered asleep was worse.

The memory of searing heat rolled over Aro's face and his heart twisted painfully.

* * *

"Aro, dear?" Eva's voice was gentle but strong enough to pull him out of his head.

"Yes, ma'am?" He answered, straightening his spine just a bit.

The older woman brushed a thin finger over his left cheek, feeling the bristles of hair. "Make sure you shave tonight, understand?"

She smiled and Aro couldn't help but smile back, just a bit. He was here, in her corner of the Tower for a second time. His measurements had been done some weeks before but she wanted to make sure and make corrections if needed, citing Aro's habit of slouching. "Sometimes I forget that you and Daniel are the exact same height," she had said. Sometimes Aro forgot as well. Life had a habit of making him feel so small.

He didn't mind all that much. It was a nice day, one admittedly better spent than staring at the ceiling in a dark room. That and Eva was one of the few people he could be around who treated him like normal. The pessimist in him reminded that it was only because she didn't know. But one day, she'd find out. Would she pity him? Show wariness? Maybe she'll take Shino's cue and drop him as a friend entirely. He wouldn't blame her. He didn't blame Shino.

Kain silenced his thoughts with a simple saying of his name. He was taking things too far.

"Eva?" He called.

"Yes, dear?" Warm and open as always.

"What should I…we expect at this sort of thing?"

With her hands on him, Aro felt her shrug. "I try my best to stay out of politics when I can." Eva brought her hand to his elbow and guided it up, "But be prepared. A lot of people are going to try and be your friend. Very few will actually mean it."

"The Speaker told me that Guardians are like Glimmer for the factions."

"And the more famous, the more coveted. That much I know." She removed her hand from his arm, giving him permission to relax. "Never took you for a glory hunter, Aro," Eva said, "Not that I disapprove. Shaxx is the same. So were Zavala and Lord Saladin before responsibility bogged them down, though I'm sure I don't need to tell you about that."

"I understand what you mean," he said, understating.

"But you aren't like them, are you?" She continued. She patted his shoulder to let him know she was finished. Aro stepped off the bench and sat down. "So I've come to believe you and your team had very different reasons for going on such a dangerous expedition.

Further indication that she didn't know. Was that what people thought? That he went in there and suffered some of his hardest battles for renown? Now that he was thinking about it, would that be better or worse than the truth?

"We did," was all Aro was willing to offer. Luckily, she didn't push.

"Now I know what this gala will entail, Aro. As do you." Aro turned to see Eva still moving around her workspace, her back to him but knowing she had his full attention. "But still, I ask that you make some kind of effort to have at least a little fun."

"I…" He didn't know what he had been expecting but it certainly wasn't that.

She waved her hand. "Say what you will about Executor Hideo but his parties are usually the talk of the City and the Tower."

"It's still politics. Politics I've been roped into unwillingly."

"I will not deny that," she said, "But I feel that my point still stands." She turned to hold his eyes with a nearly stern gaze. "I don't think the world will end if you elect to take care of yourself for an hour or two a day."

Aro chuckled, hoping it didn't sound as sardonic as it seemed. She was right in a way. There were a million other things more likely to end the world than him taking a nap every once in a while, Not that he could tell her. Not that he wanted to.

So Aro simply says, "I will do my best."

Eva's tight gaze fell away. The smile alone that came after could've brightened the Tower on the darkest nights. "All anyone can ask of you, my dear."

* * *

He was nervous. He was always nervous. But he's had good practice at hiding it, he'll say that much.

Aro could see now why this event was garnering so much attention. Executor Hideo spared no expense in putting it together and Aro found himself in awe. Not just at the building, decorated extensively in New Monarchy's red and gold but those attending as well. There were people here who he had only ever seen from afar, in the media or standing above crowds. But he was a guest of honor? The world indeed had a habit of making him feel small.

He hears Asura's grumbling before he sees him come up to his side, Crona along with him. His friend was fiddling irritably with the collar of his shirt. Crona didn't look any happier. "We conquer a Vex stronghold," she said, "Saved humanity from whatever they were planning down there and now we're being punished."

Aro huffed in amusement. "Is your brother being punished with us?"

"Z's still against it happening. He's not showing. Neither is Akira."

"Lucky him," Asura snapped, yanking on the collar with such force that Aro was surprised it didn't tear. Crona reached over and swat his hand away, adjusting the thing until it sat more comfortably on his neck. "You've done this before?"

Crona shrugged. "Father, Z," she listed off. Her voice lowered, "Andal, once or twice."

A hand clapped the center of Aro's back. Cayde swung around the trio. "Hey, kids. We doing some good ol' fashioned complaining?" He asked. Aro was barely paying attention. It was striking to see the Exo without his cloak and hood. "Well stop it. If I don't get to whine, neither do any of you."

"No one told you to take that bet with Ikora." Asura's hand started creeping back up to his neck and fell when Crona looked his way.

"Where's the fun in that?"

"And are you having fun, Cayde?"

"Don't worry about it," he snapped, earning the laughter he had probably been looking for from them.

Aro asked, "Where are all the others? I figured we'd be entering all together."

"Don't let the clothes fool you, this shindig isn't all that formal," Cayde said, "We go in, we make nice, stay for the appropriate amount of time and then leave."

"And what is the appropriate amount of time?" Crona asked.

"You'll know when you see me running for the door, a trail of these ridiculous clothes behind me." He jostled Asura. "Not a real party until someone's lost all their clothes."

"Do I hear complaining?"

Cayde straightened up so quickly, his metallic spine creaked. "Complaining? Nope, not me. Never me."

Ikora stepped around them, her eyes on Cayde. She wore robes, as she always did but traded out the brighter purple for a darker, deeper version. "Truly?" She almost looked amused, "I could've sworn…"

"You know what they say about swearing, Ikora."

Her eyes closed and the corner of her mouth turned upwards, "I suppose I do, Cayde."

"Ikora. Cayde. We're ready." Zavala's change was more drastic. Red and silver traded out for dark blue. The significantly smaller shoulder pads were what caught and held Aro's attention the most. It made him look slimmer, not that he was slim in any sense of the word; less threatening, which was probably the intent. His wife wore a similar color with none of the heavy plating. She had one small arm wrapped in the curve of his and neither were smiling.

"You three enter when you're ready," Ikora told them, "The others will be here soon." She and Cayde fell in step with Zavala and Eve and soon disappeared into the growing crowd.

Aro turned his eyes upward and took in the sight one more time. As nice as it was, he had no intention of staying longer than necessary. He looked at both of the others and said, "No sense in waiting."

"Plenty sense in running while no one's looking."

An arm suddenly wrapped around Asura's, keeping him in place. Erek rounded up from behind and yanked the Exo forward. "No, you don't. This time, you suffer with us."

"I didn't even go through-haven't I suffered enough?!" Asura's complaints grew quieter and quieter the further he moved inside, half guided, half dragged. Kayla stepped up to his spot, adjusting her sleeves. Aro turned to scan the smaller groups of people behind them.

"Daniel's not with you?"

Kayla shook her head. "No, he'll be coming with his sister and Shino."

"Have you seen any of the others?" Crona asked.

"Katrina, Sora and Jessie are somewhere in this mess." She waved her hand over the building, "Maybe inside already. Don't know much about the others though."

Crona nodded and with a sigh, started the march forward. Aro kept to his spot, still staring at the building, the night sky, the Traveler looming above. His attention was retaken when Kayla put her arm underneath his and put her hand on his wrist. He smiled, mostly for her benefit, and curved his arm properly. "We ready?" He asked.

She let out a long breath or at least imitated the sound and the motion, something that would never cease to amuse him. "Once more unto the breach."

They started walking forward. "Better than the old breach."

"I could set things on fire at the old breach."

"Don't let that stop you." She let out a peal of laughter and this time, Aro's smile was real.

* * *

"_Wow_."

"Agreed," Aro murmured back to his Ghost aloud. In the few years he's been alive, Aro wasn't sure he had ever seen any room decorated so extravagantly. He knew that Hideo was a wealthy man but this was nearly blinding. And boasting, he then figured. Aro knew the representatives of Future War Cult and Dead Orbit would be in attendance. What better way to rub your power and influence in their faces?

Aro managed to grab a drink off a passing tray, something golden, fizzling and probably worth more than the clothes he was wearing. People talked, people walked around, people stared and people whispered. He felt bare and alone since Kayla had run off, saying something about Erek planning to turn invisible and sneak off with a tray of food.

He started moving, keeping his arm and the drink tightly against himself so that he didn't accidentally drop it on someone's clothing, also probably more expensive than anything he was wearing. Guardians could only scrounge together so much scrap to sell or dismantle for Glimmer.

As he was told, the others arrived in their own time and he met up with them as he moved around. Katrina used him for some time to avoid some young Dead Orbit steward. Sora spoke more to him about her work and Asura always needed an ear to whine in, especially when Crona grew tired of him. In between, Aro was beset upon by strangers, too eager to meet him for his liking, which was just being eager at all, if he was being honest with himself. Many asked about the Vault of Glass; for details on what the Vex were doing, whether or not he and his team had actually traveled back or forth in time, his honest opinion on whether or not humanity could ever truly win. Aro had answers for none of them. In some cases, he had no answers they would want to hear. Just vague replies and subject changing. He even tried to sound inspirational but he was no Zavala.

It was always staggering to be privy to so much that others just weren't ready to really know. Compared to what was out there, the Vault of Glass was an afterthought. Barely even that, since Pride had rendered the place useless to the Vex. The damage he caused would take them centuries to repair. The creation of a new Time's Conflux to replace Wrath(K) would take four or five on it's own.

He hadn't seen Daniel yet. But he could see his sister talking with someone with Shino by her side. He was smiling, not that this was a surprise. Shino smiled all the time. Just not at him. Not anymore.

Aro quickly moved to end the conversation he had been dragged into and started towards them. As soon as he was spotted, Christine waved him over, her face brightening. Shino's expression did the opposite and Aro ignored the stinging in his heart.

Christine pulled away from Shino to embrace him as soon as he was close enough. Daniel's strength ran in the family, evident in the way she practically squeezed the life from him. She had missed him. He missed her. Not much would change after this.

When she pulled back, he asked, "Tarlowe's not with you? Or Daniel?"

"Daniel's around," she said, trying to scan the crowd for him, "I'm surprised you haven't seen him yet."

So was he.

"As for Tarlowe, he didn't want to come."

Aro's brow rose. "Z and Akira, I get but why him?"

Christine just shrugged. "Just didn't want to. I don't blame him, honestly. Look at these crowds; not the best place for someone in a wheelchair."

Aro blinked. He hadn't even thought about it. "That makes sense."

"I was told you came over," she said, "I'm sorry I missed you."

"So am I." He smiled, "It's fine. Life happens."

"I was told you had to leave?"

His smile fell. "Something...came up. I had to get back to the Tower."

Unlike nearly everyone else here, Christine knew everything. She asked, "Something...important?" Probably already knowing. All Aro could do was nod.

"Why weren't we told?" Shino asked, speaking up for the first time. His brow was tight, his mouth a thin line.

"We...we're still figuring things-"

"That's no excuse," Shino snapped and Aro cursed himself for the way he flinched. The Awoken man's gaze was burning and Aro found himself unable to hold it.

"Shino." One word from Christine had him quiet. "This is not the time, Shino." His eyes swiveled to Christine to Aro and back. Then he just grunted and began to walk away, pulling Christine with him.

"We-we'll talk later!" Aro managed to stutter out. It was aimed at the both of them but only Christine looked back or offered any kind of acknowledgement. Aro suddenly became extremely aware of the drink in his hand and downed the thing in one go.

Kain, ever aware of his intentions, told him, "_We need you sober, Aro."_

"_Then keep me sober._" He had already begun looking for another one. One bad interaction had the entire night going downhill and towards a cliff edge.

"_I'm sorry he treated you like that, Aro._"

Aro had nothing to say to that. Nothing to think either. The noise of the crowd had begun to die down. Eyes turned upwards and when Aro followed them, his gaze settled on a balcony. Emblazoned with a flag of New Monarchy's sigil and stood upon by the man who ran it.

Executor Hideo was the image of a perfect politician. Easy on the eyes, easy to listen to and an ever-present smile that managed to light up the entirety of his face, regardless of how real it might have been. It was easy to see why he was so well-liked.

Despite how often Hideo roamed the Tower and despite Aro living there, the two had never met. Aro barely knew who he was and Hideo, more than likely, had no interest. But then Aro became popular. Useful. Now he was inviting some previously nobody Guardian to his events by name. That told Aro that for all his smiles and charms, Hideo was ambitious. Aro could only hope that he also had the morals and restraint to keep it in check. He's seen the consequences of otherwise.

"Good people of the City!" His deep and warm voice rang out over the crowd below, silencing whatever conversations there had still been. "First, I give you all my thanks. For taking the time out of your schedules, your lives, to be here tonight. It is a hard world we live in and nothing is guaranteed. We owe it to ourselves and those who look to us to slow down, to take some time. None of us work hard and sacrifice as much as we do just for the sake of it. We do it for moments like these; moments we can enjoy."

"_Insightful._"

"_Meh_," Kain thought back and Aro smiled just slightly.

"But tonight is not solely a night of levity in and of itself. We celebrate unity, achievement and belatedly, a resounding victory against the enemies of humanity. You, as well as I, have heard of the decisive blow dealt to the Vex by humanity's greatest protectors. One clan of these protectors, the Will of Light, went into one of the Vex's best-defended strongholds and brought them down from the inside."

Murmurs and a smattering of applause and cheers rolled through the crowd. More than a few eyes made their way to Aro.

"We honor their bravery. We honor what they risked, what they were willing to sacrifice and we recognize how well they live up to their chosen name. Achievement, unity, sacrifice; that is the will of the Light. The will that drives them into Darkness time and time again and the will that, Traveler willing, will bring them home to us each time."

"_Okay, that was insightful,_" Kain said once the applause had died down again, "_Someone's done his homework._"

Executor Hideo raised his arms. "Friends, I will not hold you too long. I tend to grow as tired of my own voice as anyone else does." Scattered laughter from the crowd. Another sniff of indifference from Kain. "Mingle, enjoy yourselves and when you're ready to retire, Light see you home safely."

Hideo stepped away from the balcony and started down the curving staircase, stopping to greet and exchange words with every person along the way. The man did it so well, speaking to everyone as if they were long-time friends but with none of the over-familiarity. At its base stood the Commander and his wife. All smiles, just the same as the others when the Executor stopped at them. Hideo's form straightens out, his shoulder square. Deference to the Commander, maybe. Or just respect. Crona's told Aro of Hideo's hopes for Zavala. To have him as the undisputed, unquestioned and unquestionable ruler of their City. Aro once thought he agreed with them until he read their Seventh Tenets. Now he wonders how the name failed to clue him in.

They're talking about...something. Aro doubted Hideo would be so brave as to press the issue right here, right now and Aro was too far to hear them so he turned away, started to search through the crowd. He's done his mingling for the night, almost entirely unwillingly. Now he'd rather be around someone he knew. He still hadn't seen Daniel since the previous night and had set himself on searching for him when he heard his name. His full name. In a voice he did not recognize.

"I say it right?" Hideo asked as soon as he turned around. "Arochukwu?"

"I…yes. You did." It was a surprise, anyone getting it on the first try. The other surprise was how the man got over to him so quickly.

"Good, I've been practicing." He reached down and grabbed Aro's hand in both of his, that same bright, unwavering smile on his face. "It is very good to finally meet you, Aro. May I call you Aro? I'm told it's what you prefer."

"You may."

"Excellent." The man beamed, finally dropping Aro's hand. "I've got to say I've been looking forward to this meeting for a long time. Your incursion into the Vault, Aro, it's almost legendary."

Aro's eyebrows shot up. "Legen...I don't know about that."

"Oh, come off it." Hideo clapped him on the arm "Don't sell yourself or your team short. More experienced Guardians have gone in there and didn't return. Some did but...not quite whole." Hideo's smile lowered and his tone took on a somber, serious note. "You do Kabr and Pahanin proud."

"I...thank you, Executor." Aro found the praise even less comfortable than the attention. And the need to correct Hideo was surprisingly strong, in defense of a man Aro still could not definitively prove ever existed. Kabr, Pahanin _and Praedyth_. Yet another part of their lives they would have to keep secret, maybe forever. The panic that would spread if it were discovered that the Vex could erase people from history, make it so that no one remembers that they ever existed, would rival the panic that the Heralds would bring on. "I'm sorry we haven't been able to meet beforehand."

The Executor was already waving his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about. You're busy saving the world and I'm busy trying to help run it." Aro offered a rather weak smile and Hideo took what he wanted from that. "Besides, don't need to tell you about the burdens of leadership, do I?" Hideo laughed. "Tell me, where are the others?"

"They're…" Aro twisted at the waist, "They're around. Not sure but they're somewhere in this crowd."

"I'm sure I'll meet them at some point." Hideo's eyes flicked up over his head and widened slightly. "Here's one now, though I've known this one for a while."

Hideo bade him turn and Aro did, finding him face to face with Daniel striding up to them. The man cleaned up as well as any of them but he still looked haggard, frustrated.

"Daniel." The sound of his own name in Aro's voice ceased whatever warpath he had been on though. It failed to clear the stormy look in his eyes.

Executor Hideo was smiling widely again. "Ha! Little Daniel Suros!" He clapped him on the shoulder in the same manner as Aro once the other man was close enough. "Well, can't call you little anymore, now can I? It's been much too long, cousin."

Aro's eyes jumped back and forth between them. Cousins? "I...was not aware-"

Hideo waved a dismissive hand again. "It's nothing really. It's a distant relation, true but we do share blood. His paternal great-grandmother was my grandmother."

"Ah," was all Aro could muster. He had known both of their faces for years and never once put it together. He was never told either.

Daniel spoke up for the first time, his tone sharp and biting. "What were you two discussing?"

Hideo answered immediately, "The Vault." He gestured to Aro. "Was just telling your illustrious leader how impressed I was by your efforts." His dark eyes flicked between them and he smiled again. He was always smiling. It was unsettling. "But I see now that you came to steal him away. No problem. I've been meaning to find your big sister. You'll greet the others for me, won't you?" He clapped Daniel on the shoulder again and turned to Aro. "I'd be interested in talking further, Aro. Kain will get my contact info once I get a second to myself." He held out his hand and Aro took it. "Again, it was a privilege to meet you, Guardian. Keep up the good work, we're behind you all the way."

"Thank you. We appreciate it." Despite everything, Aro was sincere when he responded. Only because he felt it in turn.

"_How did he know my name?"_ Kain questioned. Aro hadn't even realized. Kain was always "Kain" to him.

Aro turned at the sound of movement to find Daniel's back to him, retreating. Aro called out his name. The man slowed but did not stop. Aro let out a long exhale and followed. Daniel still did not stop until he was at the drink table. By the end of their little walk, Aro had run out of patience. "You and Hideo. Why was I never told?" The table was mostly empty but habit still had Aro lowering his voice.

Daniel downed the entirety of his drink. "It was never really important." Big shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. "Still isn't, to be honest," he mumbled into a second cup.

"You still could've said something. You don't need to hide things from me."

The cup lowered. "I wasn't 'hiding' anything. I just didn't tell you." The cup rose again. "You should be an expert on the difference."

Aro's mouth opened and closed, the last jab taking any wind out of his sails. He shoved down the hurt welling up in his chest and asked, "Is there something wrong, Daniel? We've been here for hours, this is the first time I've seen you all night and you're already angry with me."

"What happened between you and Maya last night?" He demanded, hard eyes never leaving his.

"This...isn't really the place to discuss th-"

"You left finger marks where you grabbed her, Aro." Daniel cut him off so harshly, Aro found himself flinching. Whatever air that remained in his lungs left with what he was told.

"I...I didn't…" He reached out but Daniel moved away. "You know I would never…" He stopped before he could say something utterly stupid. He knew that was a lie. He had seen that it would be a lie. "I'm sorry. Daniel, really, I'm-"

He was cut off again, this time by a sharply raised hand. "Be careful, Aro. Especially around her."

Aro nodded limply. "You're right. I'm…" he let out a shaky breath. "You're right."

Daniel's mouth opened but Aro was walking off before he could speak.

"_Aro…_"

"_I didn't mean to_."

"_Aro…_" Kain said more forcefully.

"_I hurt her, Kain. I hurt-_"

"_Stop walking and look at your hand."_

Aro froze in his tracks and did as told. The skin of the palm was red hot. He paused, forced himself to take deep, chest-filling breaths and calm down before his hand burst into flames in the middle of a crowd. He was lucky that no one seemed to be paying him any special attention. "_I didn't mean it_," he said again.

"_I know, Aro,_" Kain thought back, "_I know. It was an accident. Nothing more._" Aro's hand began to tighten again and his lips curled into a snarl. "_Aro, dead ahead. Ikora_."

Aro lifted his head and met her eyes. She was talking to someone or more like, he was talking to her, unaware that her attention was elsewhere. She beckoned him over. Aro approached as order.

"Aro, allow me to introduce Araach Jalaal of Dead Orbit."

Aro forced his voice to steady. "Honored, Jalaal."

The dark-haired man nodded, orange eyes sparkling brightly. "Leader of the Will of Light, the honor and privilege are mine." He gestured to Ikora. "We were just discussing your recent and rather famous exploits."

Him and everyone else. Aro was sick of it. "I never would've guessed that someone with Dead Orbit's philosophy would find stories of the Vault so inspiring."

"He doesn't," Ikora said, her flat tone suggesting that she was quickly tiring of the topic.

"Nonsense, Master Ikora." Jalaal smiled, "Anyone with a basic sense of humanity would find such a victory inspiring. Those with my philosophy, as you put it, would find the challenges you must have faced vindicating. At least others would."

Such a stark difference from Hideo. Aro could already feel himself being pulled from both sides. "And you specifically, Araach?"

He answered, "I see it as a portent of things to come, Arochukwu. One can only overcome the impossible so many times." He leaned in slightly. "Would you not agree?"

Ikora was having none of it. "This is neither the time nor the place, Jalaal."

"Of course, Master Rey. My apologies." He bowed slightly, meaning nothing of what he just said. "If you'll excuse me, I need to speak to the Executor. Again, an honor, Vaultbreaker. Good victory and many more."

Jalaal bowed again and stepped past Aro, leaving him alone with Ikora. She watched him and said nothing for a long time. He must look a sight.

Finally, she called, "Cayde, come over here." The Exo was at their side before Aro even noticed that he had been nearby. "You're free to leave earlier than we agreed." Cayde practically started hopping. "On the condition you see Aro back to the Tower."

The hopping stopped when Cayde got a good look at Aro's face. Aro turned away, almost bristling. Pity; he hated pity. He'd take raging or cold silence if it would spare him from pity. Cayde took his shoulder with a firm hand, giving him a comforting shake. Then quickly but gently, he steered him towards the exit.

"You good to ride, kid?" He asked once they were outside. Aro simply nodded.

"Good. Call your Sparrow." Cayde's own appeared in the driveway. "Start up. I'm right behind you."

Kain called it from his ship in the Tower. Aro mounted and revved the engine, loudly enough to garner some attention from those nearby. He paused to take one last look at the hall, the people still walking around, the sights that he found mesmerizing at first but now failed to draw anything from him but anger and hurt.

He took off down the empty road, forgoing a helmet and hoping the night air would do him some kind of good. It would be the only good he received all night.

* * *

The Tower was quiet. The walk back to his dorm was uneventful and went unbothered. Traveler be praised.

Aro practically dropped through his door once it had opened. The second it closed behind him, Kain began removing his clothes and placing them somewhere he could find them later. A good thing to do, seeing as he was prepared to fall asleep in them. The sooner he put this night behind him, the better.

It wasn't until he was in his own bedroom that Kain removed the rest of his clothing. Aro trudged to the bathroom, turned the shower to near scalding and stepped in, letting the sound of water very nearly drive him to sleep. When he had come a little too close, Kain shut the water off, forcing Aro to grab a towel, dry off and seek out clothes to sleep in.

"It wasn't right," Kain said, speaking up for the first time since they returned. Aro didn't need to ask his meaning. "It wasn't right for Daniel to treat you like he did."

"He's just worried for his sister." Aro's croaking voice was monotone and stilted, sounding pathetically rehearsed. If he didn't believe what he was saying and yet, he said it. Instinctual movement to defend someone he loved. "Could you send a message to Maya apologizing."

"I did on the ride home. It was an accident. Those were her words, Aro." Kain floated past him standing at the closet and settled on the nightstand. "She said it didn't even hurt."

"As long as it was sent." Aro slid stomach first onto his bed until his head was against the headboard.

Then Kain said, "She asked when was the next time she could see you. Talking really helped." Aro cracked open an eye to find the Ghost staring back. "I told her I'd get back to her."

"Things have come up and I won't be able to visit for some time." Aro flipped onto his back, placing his arm over his eyes. "But she can call me. Anytime she wants."

A few seconds of silence passed before Kain indicated he had sent it. Aro dropped his arm and turned his head towards the window. The Traveler was in his view and behind it, the Moon, both stark against the dark, starless sky. He wanted to leave again. Just a few weeks out in the wilderness, nothing but his Ghost, his guns and a book for company. The spiteful part of him bade him go as far as to cut off all contact. Traveler knew he could use the quiet. The quiet and a form of hostility that he could be sure of. Out there, he knew everything wished him gone. Here at home, it was harder to tell.

Aro shook his head clear and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was being ridiculous. "I want to send a message to Daniel," he whispered into the dark.

Kain spoke back, at full volume. "I know what you want to send," he said, "And I'm not sending anything."

Aro propped himself up. "Kain, he was just scared. Maya-"

"Is his little sister, I know that already." Kain lifted off the nightstand and floated closer. "I was there, Aro. I saw that dark future, I heard of what would be my fate. That doesn't make how any of them have treated you right and you know it." He settled back down, his voice a clear message of his refusal to argue or budge. "I will send nothing. I will be receiving nothing either. If Daniel wishes to talk, he can come over here and find you. To apologize."

"And if he doesn't find me?" Aro asked, "If he doesn't apologize?"

"Then I'm sorry but…" Kain could probably feel the pain that had welled up in Aro's throat.

He tried to swallow it down. "Could be for the best."

"Aro…"

"He could find someone better," he muttered, "There's a million men out there better for him than me."

"You aren't in the state of mind to decide that, Aro."

The ceiling was blurring from both sleep and tears he refused to let fall. Finally, Aro squeezed his eyes shut. Sleep took him just seconds later.

* * *

Kain woke Aro to the sound of movement in his room and his eyes cracked open to find his Ghost's bright light directly in front of them. He shut them again with a weary groan and rubbed them, using his free hand to push his Ghost away.

Aro sat up, still just barely cognizant of whoever was making noise around his room. Focusing and finally learning who it was did nothing to help his confusion; the opposite, in fact.

"Daniel?"

The man at his closet stopped in his rummaging but did not turn. After a few seconds, he started again. "I kept some clothes in here," he mumbled, "Was just looking for them."

Aro lay back down and let him do so in silence. Daniel had divested himself of his dress shirt already. He pulled something from inside, Aro could not see it in the darkness. Daniel turned slightly, seeming to watch Aro out of the corner of his eye, holding the pair of sweatpants close to his chest. "The party ended about two hours ago," he said. When Aro made no move to respond, he finished, "Wanted to stay here tonight."

"You have a room."

Quiet. Then a response, just as quiet. "I know." He put the sweatpants over his shoulders and removed the rest of his clothing.

"Is something wrong at home?"

"No." He pulled the clothing on and after a second, moved onto the bed. On instinct, Aro slid over, made room for Daniel's wider frame. They would joke about it before. They were both already too tall for the bed, if Aro got any bigger, they'd be shoving each other off with the smallest movements. There wasn't much joking now. Now Daniel laid down and Aro kept to the edge of the bed, giving him his space, too tired to figure out why he was here in the first place.

It was quiet again for the few seconds after Daniel settled. His breathing hadn't evened out and he shifted around every few seconds. If Aro had been less exhausted, he would've just taken a pillow to the couch, let Daniel have his bed. It took a few more seconds of shifting for Aro to finally slide his hands underneath himself, preparing to push upwards.

Daniel sat up first, swinging his legs over the side and rising to his feet. Aro relaxed his arms and listened to the sound of footfalls pad their way around his bed. Reluctantly, Aro cracked open an eye and found Daniel standing before him. A hand touched his shoulder and pushed gently, prompting Aro to slide back towards the center. Daniel crawled into the space that he made. He took Aro's arm in his hand, lifted it over his head and let it settle over his body.

Aro's eyes remained open, watching him. Daniel watched him back. They were nose to nose, chest to chest and still, Daniel's arm snaked around his side and drew him even closer.

Before Aro could ask what this was about, Daniel lifted his head and kissed him, bringing his hand up to Aro's face and tracing it with his thumb. He pulled back before Aro could make any response and pressed his lips to Aro's forehead before pulling back again and burying his face in Aro's neck.

A silent apology, he realized. Aro would take it for what it was.

* * *

_An essay turned in, an exam taken and a chapter uploaded. I'm tired. And working on the next one _


	10. Nothing is Born Strong

_Nothing is Born Strong_

* * *

_"I know I began weak, the same as you. I don't care if you're an Exo, staring at that number and wondering where you've come from. Or a Human, hungry to understand the ancient world that left you for dead. Or an Awoken, reborn in the very essence of what your people hide from. Together, we're the pointed end of a long stick of happenstance. Change one ripple in an ancient ocean and we would never have been granted the Light within us, or the good Ghosts that want to help us._

_"Humble origins."_

_"Every world begins as a big pebble lost among trillions. Every worthy sun was once cold hydrogen spread thin across the vacuum. Even the universe, this cosmic garden that surrounds us and awes us... this monument to Creation was once the size of an apple seed. And everything that's splendid and great stands at the end of incalculable chance and mayhem._

_"Yes, you have talents. Enormous, wondrous powers. But you should put the smirk away. Do you know what a Guardian is? Not yet. Your name is another pebble. You are a cold apple seed._

_"But you will grow."_

Mira didn't need a whetstone. Her blades were near impossible to dull, no matter how much of humanity's enemies forced her to try. But she liked the feel of one, the calm and focus it induced. On the longer trips across the system, she would take the small block of quarried stone and just drag it across her blade, back and forth until the edge could prick her through her armor. Then she'd start the second blade. Then the third, the fourth, the fifth and so on.

Lord Saladin's speech resonated through her head, mixing with the sound of grinding metal until it was all one dull hum. She knows what it's like to start small. To be made to feel small. She knows what it's like to grow; to be viciously broken down and have to crawl her way back from the deepest depths. If she was being honest with herself, she wasn't all the way there yet. She might never be.

Her ship's engines rumbled smoothly, sailing its way through space towards the site of one of the first Iron Banner matches on Mars. They couldn't be much further away. Now she'd see if all this training and back-breaking would pay off.

May and Shino seemed to be working better, at least. Spoke plenty during the gala. Even then, Mira doubted the tension would ever leave. Shino would always look at Aro and see Pride. He'd see their friend's killer. He'd see the man who ruined humanity. And May, ever kind, would always see this as wrong. If they won, if they beat all the Heralds and saved themselves from whatever was trying to use the Aro and the Gate to reach them, then maybe things could go back to how they were before. But how do you forgive the end of the world?

Khan called her from the cockpit. "Mira. We're arriving."

She stood, shoving her blade back into the sheath around her hip and then quickly inspecting all the others; both her boots, behind her back. Only then did she take up her slender, dark cloak and wrap it around her shoulders. "Katrina, you and the girls ready?"

The response was immediate. "Is that a real question?"

Mira smiled. "Just asking. Can't have you slipping up and holding my team back."

There was rustling over the comms. The sound of a sniper being loaded and a hand cannon being cocked. "I'm glad you think you're funny. Someone ought to."

The ship's engines shifted and the brakes engaged. Mars blew up into view as Mira and all the others left warp space behind; red sand, polar ice caps, Cabal-occupied moon and all. Mira dropped into the pilot's seat and disengaged the autodrive, steering herself away from the flock of ships. Her, her team and Katrina's. The other six moved in the opposite direction, heading down towards their own designated landing area.

"Hey. Hey." Shino's voice crackled on the comms. "Guess who gets to hold the flag?"

"I swear you steal it."

"He did." Amir's voice came from a distance over the comms, the sound of Shino shushing his Ghost right after. But the Ghost had about as much regard for Shino's authority as Shino did for his own; which was to say, none at all. The next time Amir spoke, it was clear he had come closer to the mic. "He stole it from Jessie's ship before launch. She's been yelling at him the entire trip he-" Amir was cut off, no doubt by Shino snatching him out of the air.

"Dropping into the arena." Khan flew back to her. The fleet of ships broke through the clouds. Khan retook the controls and guided them lower.

He didn't need to ask but silently did. Her answer was always the same.

The ship's cockpit disappeared, replaced by the red, glowing haze of heat and sand. Mira landed on the ground and one by one, the others followed suit until Shino, flag in hand, arrived last. Massive and imposing, the Titan more than likely took up all of whatever feed was recording them, standing at the center as he did. He twirled the glowing pole around his fingers one time, a second time for Jessie's benefit and then slammed it down, spawning the bright red flag. The games were on.

"_Kill them before they kill you. It's as simple as that._" Saladin's voice was so starkly different from Shaxx's. Not just in the deepness or lowered tone but in the inflection. Shaxx spoke with encouragement, even some bit of excitement to see how the battle would pan out. Lord Saladin held expectations, even if he didn't outright say so. They were here to impress, not entertain.

As soon as the old Guardian had finished speaking, the others were off. Katrina and May were clambering up perches for high points on the map while the Titans kept to the ground, Sora behind them. Mira had plans to do the same but she had watched enough Iron Banner matches in her time to predict what was coming next.

Jessie seemed to realize it first, slowing down as she neared the corner. Shino kept on, full steam ahead. Mira watched him round the bend, counted to three, made it to two and then heard a sharp, dull bang. In the corner of her visor, the enemy's score went up by one.

May called to her. "Shino down?"

"Shino's down."

"Death by shotgun?"

"Straight to the face," Mira sighed, "You'd think he'd learn."

"And you'd be wrong," Shino quipped, up again and already moving. Mira had her own rejoinder ready, from years of their back and forth but red had just begun to crawl up into her radar. A guest to attend to.

Mira twisted around, taking herself underneath and out of an enemy Titan's fists, jumping down from a height above her head. She charged back in as soon as they landed, Arc charged knife sliding through a gap in their armor.

Big arms shoved her backwards. She went with it, using the distance to pull out her hand cannon and let out three shots, point-blank to the head. Going rigid, the Titan let out a quiet hiss of air and then crumpled into a pile of limbs and armor on the ground. In the corner of her eye, the score changed again; one to one. "Good thing I'm here to cover your mistakes."

Mira had just sheathed her blade when the crack of a sniper rifle rang through the warm air. On instinct, she dropped behind the nearest cover, trying to remember everything from the short instant so she could locate the sniper. Movement in the corner of her vision moved drew her eyes downward. The score, their own had moved up again. It was when she crawled back up did they land on the body of a Hunter, lying on their back, a smoking hole in their chest. Mira let out the sharp breath she had been holding. They must've been invisible, sneaking up on her.

The sound of a sniper being cleared and racked again came over the radio. May's voice followed right after. "And good thing I'm here to cover yours."

Shino laughed, loud enough for her to hear both over the comms and despite him being nearly half the arena away, in person. She chuckled, despite herself. She deserved that. At least a little bit.

* * *

"Asura?"

"Yeah?" Asura answered, never taking his eyes off the screen. Usually by now, Spirit would've glided into his vision to get his attention but if she had, she'd just get grabbed and held out of the way. On the feed, a Warlock slid behind a short wall, a sniper shot from above that Asura knew had come from Katrina sailing over her head. The Warlock had dropped into cover with momentum, kicking up a cloud of obscuring dust. Keeping that momentum, she launched herself as high into the air as she could and out of the dust cloud, catching Katrina in the process of reloading. The Nova Bomb the Warlock dropped had Asura's mouth on the ground but the way Katrina whipped the sniper rifle up and hip-fired her opponent through the head mere instants before she was killed had him leaping out of his seat. He could hear the cheers and exclamation of other viewers from down the hall.

"Come on, Asura," Spirit called, still watching the feed herself, "It's time to get started."

He groaned but stood, taking his chair in hand. He twisted it away from the screen and back towards the dining table at the center of his dorm. Scattered across the plain black surface were schematics, weapon parts, datapads with even more schematics. He almost turned the seat back around.

"I barely even know where to begin, Spirit," he said, flicking a screw across the table and then scrambling before it could fly over the edge.

"Maybe it's not a matter of where but who."

Soft-spoken but to the point, that's how his Ghost always was. He knew where she was leading and his answer was immediate. "No. Absolutely not."

"No one has better access to memories of your past than he does," Spirit reminded him.

"None of us have heard from him in a solid year." As true as it was, it still managed to feel like a severe understatement. There had been a number of times in the past year where Asura plain forgotten that Wrath(A) was there, so deep was he buried within Asura's mind. But Asura would always eventually remember and it would always be followed by the reminder that he only controlled his body because Wrath(A) allowed it. He was the alternate personality now. Now and maybe even forever.

Asura sighed and leaned back in his seat. "Maybe I shouldn't even bother, Spirit," he said, "It doesn't even make sense. It's a gun. A simple gun. It shouldn't bother me so much."

"But it does."

"Well then, I shouldn't let it." He reached for one of the datapads, a sketch of a simple hand cannon. Just looking at it seemed to strike something within him. Not enough to demand the entirety of Asura's attention but just some of it and that was already too much.

He tossed it back down, rose to his feet and started to pace. It really was bothering him; so much for not letting it. He only ever saw the damn thing in dreams. And even then not entirely. More often than not, he'd see Cayde, twirling Ace of Spades around his finger. Or he'd see Aro, sights trained on a target, Hawkmoon in one hand, one Nova Bomb with the power of five in the other. Sometimes he'd see Shin Malphur and the Last Word. Other times, he'd see the Gunslinger Herald with Thorn trained between his eyes. Because of his stellar luck, only during nightmares.

The fact of the matter was that there was no direct reference to any gun he might have owned thousands of years ago. Just a hand cannon and the person it was associated with. That alone should be enough for him to just write the whole thing off but for two things. The fact that they kept happening was one. The fact that he knew a Guardian named Arochukwu was the other.

Asura stopped pacing and walked into his bedroom, up to the window. Light streamed through, not as intense as it was hours ago; the day was ending. His eyes focused on the Traveler, great and ever-present. Maybe the memories were his but the recurrence must have been due to something else. Aro's dreams were _never_ just dreams. Maybe his weren't either.

Asura left his room behind and sat back down, one hand on the edge of the table, gripping it tightly.

"Spirit?"

"Yes, Asura?"

He sighed. "Constant monitoring. If, even for a second, you feel I might lose control, call the others and put me down." Circumstances be damned, this was his body. If he has to go out, it'll be on his terms and his terms alone.

His Ghost blinked at him once before moving a distance away, out of Asura's grabbing range, should Wrath(A) prove truly desperate.

Asura closed his eyes. He focused on memories of his time on the Vault, how it felt to be a prisoner in his own head. Any time he spoke to Wrath(A), it would be face to face. Himself in his mind's eye and Wrath(A) as the same, the two of them in some deep, dark, expansive room. As if they were in space, nothing else in the void aside from the two of them and whatever surface they walked upon.

There was little need to search. Asura's gaze was drawn in one particular direction and what he saw was disheartening.

Far off into the darkness was a figure. On the ground, curled up tightly around itself, a simple cloak covering the entirety of its body. Asura only recognized him so quickly because that was how he appeared the last time they spoke. How far out of it must Wrath(A) be to not even so much as move in the last year?

It took some doing but Asura found his voice. "Hey," he called.

No response. Asura pressed on anyway. "We need to talk, Wrath. What's this about a gun?" He asked. "Wouldn't care in most cases but I keep seeing it. _You_ keep seeing it. Why?"

Nothing. Not even a shift in the air. Asura wanted to grab him but he could only see it ending badly, even if it was all imaginary in a way. Either way, his patience had run out. He was back in the real world, as easily as waking.

Nothing changed aside from his tighter grip on the table. Spirit floated closer. She said it before he could. "No change."

"Don't know why I even tried," he muttered, "If he can't make my life a living hell, he can't be bothered."

"Maybe we should approach it a different way," she suggested, "You didn't talk all that long."

His eyes ran over the table once more, weapon parts and datapads strewn everywhere. A day wasted; he was no closer than he was before.

Asura shook his head and stood, taking his chair in hand and twisting around to face the feed again. He wasn't nearly as engrossed as before. "It's pointless," he murmured. "Is it too much to hope I'll eventually forget this?"

"Anything's possible." It was a charitable answer. He let out a sharp frustrated growl, "Maybe we can go talk to Aro-"

"I can't keep running to Aro every time I need help," Asura said, "He's got a whole solar system to worry about."

"And he'd still help if you asked."

"Which is why I don't want to." He sighed and slumped in his chair. "Not today. I'm tired of thinking about this today."

Spirit silently agreed and turned back to the table. She had seen him field strip a gun and re-assemble it in impressive times but it was hard to imagine these parts as anything special. She began to pick them up.

No part of any weapon did. Hawkmoon, Ace of Spades, The Last Word, they are all nothing but parts and imagination made real. But they were parts first, simple and small. And nothing was born strong.

* * *

Crona stepped up and through the doorway, a bit surprised that she just could. The War Cult wasn't known to be all that welcoming and they had no patience for the facade of it as New Monarchy did.

"_Maybe it's because they know who we are."_

The staring and the whispering agreed with Sol. Knowing what she did about the factions, an open invitation from someone she had only spoken to for the briefest of moments made her uncomfortable.

"Lady Guardian." The rough, wizened and familiar voice had her spinning on her heels. The person she had come to see had been situated above her, watching her nervously shuffle about and around her space, no doubt.

Crona craned her neck to see. "Uh, Crona, ma'am."

Lakshmi-2 hummed in amusement and leaned on the railing. "I know who you are."

"You know my father?"

"Hero of Twilight Gap, mentor to the Titans, overseer of Vanguard strike operations and commander of the Guardians as a whole. I know who he is as well." She waved a hand, beckoning her to come up. Crona did as asked, finding Lakshmi and several of her followers reclining in the low light. "But he is no Vaultbreaker, Lady Crona."

Lakshmi bade her sit and Crona did, pointedly away from the others, Lakshmi's fellow followers. "Your leader, Lord Arochukwu, left the gala rather quickly."

"He had an early start in the morning," Crona lied, "Backed up on work."

Lakshmi waved a hand. "I did say the gala was at a bad time. Not just timing on its own but after the incident." She shook her head. "Your brother has proven himself as a diplomat time and time again but I fear this may spiral into something more. He was right to argue against this as he did."

"I stopped seeing anything about it on the news a day after."

Lakshmi laughed dryly. "It was an Exo, dear. The media has more exciting things to focus on. Like the Executor's party. But rest assured, no one has simply forgotten." She brought herself more upright. "Ah, but I should remember you sought me out. I doubt it was to discuss such a tragedy."

Discomfort quickly returned. "I...was told by the gunsmith...you know him?"

"I know Banshee."

"I'm looking for an Arc conductor," she said, "One of special make." Sol transmatted the schematic to her hand and she held it out. One of the War Cult's followers, an older human, took the datapad and passed it to Lakshmi. "He pointed me to you."

The Exo silently examined it. Over time, her posture shifted again and again, each becoming more rigid than the last. "I am surprised the old man remembered."

"You have it then?" She hoped she didn't sound too excited.

She handed the pad back. "I do. But I haven't laid eyes on it in a long time. I'm very selective about who I give it out to."

"Who was the last person?"

Lakshmi watched her for some time. But her eyes were unfocused, distant. Then she chuckled ruefully. "Would you forgive me, Lady Guardian, if I told you I could not remember?"

Crona blinked. "I'd...be very confused. You just said-"

"I am very selective, yes. My confusion is most likely greater than yours," she said, "But it is what it is." She leaned forward slightly, hands tented, elbows on her knees. Crona could've sworn she saw her followers lean in. They were hanging off every word coming from her mouth. "I remember that he was a Guardian. Little else. Again, forgive me, Lady Guardian." She held her hand out and took the datapad. Her eyes scanned the image of the Arc conductor once more. "The weapon you're making, it must be something special."

"I think it is," Crona replied truthfully, "I want it to be."

"And to think, this little thing is the key." She hummed, still so clearly amused, "But as the old wolf has said, nothing is born strong." She laughed, "Ah, look at me, quoting to you a man you've known all your life."

Lakshmi rose to her feet and beckoned for Crona to do the same. "Come see me again, Lady Crona." She led her to the top of the stairs. "We'll discuss the Vault more and in the meantime, I'll see about getting you this conductor."

Crona paused. "Oh, that's…" she bowed her head slightly, "Thank you, Lakshmi."

"You sound surprised, my lady."

"It's just when you said you were selective-"

"You thought that excluded the Vaultbreaker herself?" Lakshmi-2 laughed, "Lady Crona, if you are anything like the people you grew up around, not just your father but your mother, your brother and even our late Hunter Vanguard, Traveler rest his Light, then you must know that the Vault is not the end."

"Yes, I know," was all Crona could say.

"If you do, then I think you and I will get along very well. Don't let me keep you any longer. Thank you for the talk, Lady Guardian. I will contact you when I have news."

Crona was left alone at the top of the stairs and quickly made her way out of the War Cult's lounge. As soon as the place was out of sight, Crona fell back against a wall, a pressure lifting off her neck she hadn't realized was there.

Sol manifested before her. "That didn't go as I expected," she muttered.

"But it went." She could hear the shrug in his voice. Then he leaned in. "An Arc conductor and the Vault of Glass. There's a story there."

"I guessed that." Crona pushed off the wall. "And she doesn't remember it. It sounds...wrong, in a way." She sighed, "I wish we could talk to Ghost." Just the mention of the old thing had her arm tingling, the Aegis mark she kept under white bandages reacting somehow. She ran her hand over the skin and struggled not to start worrying at it so publically.

Crona stepped back out into the Hangar, forgetting how deeply the walls were insulated and nearly jumping from her skin at the sudden barrage of sounds; jumpships moving in and out, work being done and cheering coming from the lounge. "Match is still going?"

"Hard as it is to believe, we weren't in there for very long." Sol's voice took on a bashful tone, "And I may have been keeping track of the feed while we were."

Crona snorted, her hand immediately flying up to her lips. "Shino. Shotguns to the head. How many?"

"Five now."

"He promised me ten." Crona turned from the hangar and made her way down into the Tower lounge. People surrounded the large, wide screen that was put up just for the event but they all had the courtesy to not swarm the thing. She leaned against the wall at the base of the stairs, arriving just in time to see Shino take his sixth. Both jeers and laughter rolled through the onlookers.

"I assure you, he's working on it."

On the feed, just as Shino's corpse was transmatted away, something exploded, releasing a burst of sound and purple light. A dropped grenade on death; if she didn't know him, she'd say Shino did it on accident. Both the Titan who killed him and an unlucky Warlock in the wrong place at the wrong time were staggered but remained alive. Sitting ducks, unless they're smart.

Lightning crackled and the feed trembled with the sound of thunder. The feed had yet to follow the sound and find its source but the Guardians did. The Warlock jumped, attempted to Blink away and failed, falling to the ground. The Titan just scrambled.

All for naught when Jessie made landfall. The Warlock was vaporized on impact. The Titan, who had put some distance between then and was starting to feel his Light return was chased down before he could turn and aim. Jessie's team racked up another two points, the same mix of cheers and groans blew out from the crowd and on the feed, far off in the distance, the tiny figure of Shino had his arms in the air, jumping up and down.

* * *

"_You have power. Use it._"

Of all the times to remember Variks' words, this was a strange one. Maybe it was Aro's own self-depreciation, feeling himself better with his powers going wild than with a gun in his hands. He's resorted to it on a number of occasions. The Gorgon's maze came to mind.

Aro's hand came up to his throat, remembering the horrible pain. Sunfire straight from his throat, third-degree burns and blood choking the life out of him. He needed better control. He's seen what he would be capable of if he did.

It's quiet where he is. Preferable after a long day with Aashir in a busy lab. It was as uncomfortable as he expected, not just stares and the whispers but Aashir's general aloofness. It shouldn't be surprising given their past relationship but Aro figured they had been making progress. At the very least he had been cordial but Aro couldn't tell if it was due to Pride or because he was Ikora's Hidden and he needed to keep his distance. The reason wasn't as obvious as it was with Shino and Mira.

Asura has been leaving as soon as he returned, heading down to the lounge to watch the Iron Banner match there and to give Aro some measure of quiet. Crona was meeting Lakshmi-2 and Daniel was…elsewhere. Just not here. Aro wasn't sure that his wordless apology had successfully cleared the air between them. Maybe he was still angry about Maya, Aro certainly was at himself. Maybe he felt guilty. Didn't matter to Aro. He knew he had to let it go. He was already losing friends. He couldn't afford to hold grudges, no matter how much he had been hurt. Maybe it made him a doormat. But it was preferable to loneliness.

Hawkmoon was disassembled before him, pieces well organized on the desk. He's been like this for a while. Asura has returned for a few minutes, took one look at the pieces, shook his head in disgust and left. His own project couldn't have been going much better.

Aro picked up Hawkmoon's exotic shard, a pale golden thing that pulled on his Light, not that it mattered to him; he was known for his reserves. When Aro had taken the thing to Cayde, the Hunter took one look at it and laughed. He said he never expected such conning from the Reefborn. The thing was uncharged and unfocused, making Hawkmoon no more special than a training pistol. It was still a solid gun, he explained, but it could be so much more. It was up to Aro to make it so.

"Yeah, I'm drawing blanks." Kain returned from his floating back and forth across Aro's bedroom, his form of pacing.

Aro chuckled. "Seems to be going around. Crona's making progress."

"Crona has help."

Aro helped the crystal further into the lamplight, trying to will it into doing what he wanted. He watched the shard, Kain watched him and the shard ignored them both. "Why don't you take a break?" Kain suggested.

"Not tired."

"A lot going through your head."

"That's always the case with me." Aro leaned back in his seat, turning the crystal around in his hands. "Do you remember what Ikora said? When she passed by us with Cayde?"

"The best way to build is to start small."

Start small. Start easy. What was the easiest thing he could do?

_Nothing is born strong. _

Aro pulled the shard closer to his face.

_Just a cold hard seed. But you will grow._

The thing still tugged on his Light, like water pushing against a dam. Aro opened the dam. As soon as he did, his Light flowed. Gently, like a stream down a quiet hill. The shard soon warmed in his hand. Dimly, it began to glow, emitting a rather low level of light and shifting through a spectrum of colors, painting Aro's hand the same. Aro let it continue, not willing to push more than was necessary but too enamored to stop. So enamored, Aro jumped when his door suddenly opened. Holding the shard close to his chest, he turned.

Daniel filled the doorway, arms bracing the frame. Aro's hand and the shard remained close to his chest. "Yes?"

"Are you busy?" Daniel quietly asked.

Aro rolled the crystal in his fingers. "A bit," he says.

Daniel nodded and stepped in, letting the door close behind him. Aro turned back, bringing the crystal out. It hadn't cooled in the slightest. The drain on his Light had not ceased, even with his focus somewhere else entirely. He hears the booted footsteps approaching, then he felt large hands come up to and squeeze his shoulders. "Come eat," Daniel told him. Silently, Kain agreed.

Aro just shrugged, his eyes never leaving the exotic shard. Daniel's hands ran down his chest as he bent down to place his chin at the top of Aro's crown. He repeated himself, "Come eat."

A short, noncommittal grunt was all Aro was willing to give, taken again with the crystal, still warm, still shimmering. "I know you're hungry, Aro."

"I'm fine."

"What if I carried you?"

Aro snorted unexpectedly and felt Daniel smile into his hair. "You'd carry me if I asked?" Aro asked, allowing one break in his attention towards the shard.

"I'd carry you if you asked," Daniel responded. His voice lowered, his face pressing further into Aro's head and when he spoke again, it felt more as if he was speaking to himself. "I'd do anything if you asked."

Aro had no response to that. But he did put his hands to Daniel's and move them. Then he stood up, tucking the shard into some small, obscure pocket on his person. Still, his Light flowed and the shard warmed his skin. He stepped out from his desk and shoved the chair back in. "Alright, let's go."

Daniel spent a few seconds looking surprised. But quickly, he shook it off and began to wrap his arms around Aro's waist. Aro's hands quickly came up to his arms. "That...won't be necessary." Daniel muttered a bashful apology and stepped back. "It's fine. Just can't have you cracking my head against every wall you find." Instead, Aro took his hand and let himself be gently led out of his room and out of his dorm.

"Aro," Daniel said, breaking their silence. He lowered his voice, "About...about the gala…"

"It's fine, Daniel."

But Daniel shook his head. "No. No, it isn't. It...it wasn't. I shouldn't...shouldn't have acted like that." The hand in Aro's lifted away and the arm wrapped around Aro's neck, dragging the two of them together. "Forgive me," he murmured, air ghosting over Aro's ear.

Daniel had the look of a man struggling to hide his pain. Aro didn't like seeing him so broken up over something so stupid. "There is nothing to forgive." Aro wouldn't condemn a man for wanting to protect his sister. Especially against such a threat as real as him.

But the man who could frustrate a mule was having none of it. He held Aro even tighter against himself. "Forgive me," he growled, playful and begging all at once.

"Forgiven. Please stop choking me." Finally, a smile that wasn't sad or ashamed or pleading graced Daniel's face and Aro's heart leapt at the sight. The Titan loosened his hold but only slightly, still wanting to keep Aro close to himself. They walked further on, Aro lost in the goings-on around him and the company rather than his own head for once.

In his pocket, the shard continued to take his Light. Such an appetite for a small thing but again, he had reserves to spare. He didn't know what it would lead to but less and less, he was finding himself concerned about it. This is where he will start. He will figure out the next leg of his journey once he had completed this one.

He and Daniel pass by a screen and Daniel stopped them, his attention taken by the feed, playing the last legs of the day's Iron Banner matches. As it was everywhere, a small crowd surrounded it. Aro turned his gaze towards his just in time to see Sora, her body dead and broken on the ground, suddenly shoot up to her feet. Accompanying her rise was a massive flare of fire and sunlight, blowing out from her and rolling over her killers, still within the vicinity. None were killed but all were burned, blinded and staggered. But there were still three of them and without a Nova Bomb, Sora stood little chance once they had regained their faculties.

Echoing cracks suddenly filled the air. And with each one, the enemy Guardians dropped like sacks of rocks. At the bottom, May's name appeared next to the names of the recently deceased, the symbol for death by sniper separating the hunter from her downed prey.

The crowd was naturally in an uproar. Cheers and laughter, groans and complaints. "You know," Daniel had to yell for Aro to hear him over the crowd, "Shino and Jessie did that earlier."

"They did?"

"Well, something like that," he said, "But I've got to say, these two did it better."

"Not surprised. Warlocks usually do." Aro sneered and then ducked in a flinch when a finger gently flicked his ear, all in good humor.


	11. Beneath the Howling Dark

_Beneath the Howling Dark_

* * *

Boot heels clicked up the walkway, calmly and with haste. Mara made no attempt to hide herself and those around bowed as she approached and passed, as they always did.

Such a shame. The day was young and it was beautiful. What she wouldn't give to be out in the privacy of her balcony, letting the rays heat her skin and the mists cool them. She would try not to think about it. It would only make her angrier.

Uldren shadowed her, unaware of what had his sister so agitated but keeping up with her long strides nonetheless. Quite a few of her subjects wandered around the Spine of Keres and as she expected, Petra was among them. She and the Corsairs with her bowed as the Queen passed. Mara does not stop. She only gives one order to Petra and Petra alone. "Follow."

Her Techuens await her at the Oracle, Illyn, Portia and the rest. As soon as Mara enters the Watchtower and ascends the steps, the engine begins to spin. Others may require an offering or at the very least, a command. She does not.

The gateway slides open and a path extends outward, stopping at her feet. The feeling at the center of her chest is worse now. It wants to be debilitating. It wants her to fear. She will not. Instead, she boldly starts up the bridge and crosses the threshold. Dutifully, the others follow behind. Light encompasses her vision for only a second, then darkness, like a sudden night. In the distance, stars swirl and shine. But before it, one and alone beneath the howling dark, stood her seat of power, her throne.

Occupied.

"_I AM LORD OF WOLVES,"_ a strange and booming voice cried out, "_YOU ARE AN EMPTY THING WITH TWO DEAD SOULS. THIS IS MY HOUSE. THESE ARE MY TERMS. SURRENDER AND I WILL ONLY TAKE YOUR SHIPS."_

Behind her, Mara hears Uldren and Petra retrieve weapons. Behind her, Mara feels the power begin to rise among her Techuens. She is the only one to give no reaction. She is the only one to see the futility.

"_I AM NOBLE TOO, OH LORD OF WOLVES," _the voice continues and she can hear the smile on it.

Slowly, Mara begins their approach. She has not yet seen the trespasser's face. She does not need to.

"_YOU HAVE NO LINE_," he recites, "_YOU HAVE NO POWER._"

Mara stops. Now she can see his face. The others can as well. Their reactions are almost audible.

"_I AM NOBLE TOO, OH LORD OF WOLVES. FOR STARLIGHT WAS MY MOTHER. AND MY FATHER WAS THE DARK." _

The figure rises and takes the first few steps down one by one. She had her feelings even before the Guardians confirmed it. But it was uncanny seeing him up close. This man, the last she saw, was meek, hunched over, unsure; an ever-present apology for existing. Now this man stood tall and proud. He was red-eyed, smiled with too much glee and reeked of 'her father'. But only because he wanted to. He wanted to unsettle them.

"A flair for the dramatic," Pride said, "But that display of power afterwards? Inspiring. Skolas never saw it coming. Neither did Ceres, I'll wager."

Mara Sov remained silent. She bore his crimson scrutiny better than anyone else would and he liked that, she thought. Almost as much as he liked the apprehensive quiet of the others present.

Footsteps approach behind her. She speaks before Illyn can. "Step outside," she says, "I will summon you when I am done."

She can hear Uldren wanting to argue but either his sense or Petra stop him. Together, the lot of them bow and begin their silent retreat and exit of her court. Uldren was last, glowering up at Pride, who paid him no mind. He looks to his sister, approaches and holds up his weapon. She takes it with a nod and without comment, if only it will get him to leave sooner. Soon, he twists on his heels and leaves with the others, leaving her alone with Pride.

After a few seconds, Pride turns and starts back up the stairs to her throne. He circles around it and moves behind it, staring out at the hypnotizing sight she kept her back to whenever she held her courts.

Mara lets the sidearm slip from her grasp. It falls, slows and then stops in its descent halfway to the ground, gently floating over to rest on one of her hologram tables. She ascends the stairs and takes the other route around, joining him in watching the stars swirl before them.

"Your brother is quite loyal," Pride says, a somber look on his face as he stares out into space. "The kind of loyalty that gets people hurt." Pride turns his head and smiles. "Though he's a bit better behaved than the other one, isn't he?"

She ignores his comments on her brothers. She doesn't even bother asking how he got in, how he knew this place existed or what else he knows exists. Instead, she asks, "Why are you here?"

Red eyes turn back to the stars. "You know what I am." Pride deflects, "You know what my brother is." He is not asking.

"Pride and the Gatekeeper. A problem. That's all that matters."

"I know what you are, your Grace," he says, "You're like me."

The Queen's eyes narrow. "I am harmony between the Deep and the Sky. I am their union. You are their war. The brutal aftermath. We are nothing alike, Wayward Son."

He smiles ruefully. "Pride, the Wayward Son. I'm aware of how I am known. But you are accidental, your Grace," Pride gives back, "You and your people. An unintended consequence of our actions. And my brother's death. We, at the very least, were deliberate. My brother and I." He waves a hand. "And assorted others."

"You dismiss them? These 'assorted other's?"

"Of course not. But they are problems for later. A wrench in the grand scheme of things, just not now."

Mara turns her head towards him, searching his face. Then she turns back. "You do not know them yet."

"Just the last one," he surprisingly admits. "Though I shouldn't be surprised. There were three on the day this all began. My brother and I come from one. Only stands to reason that at least one come from the two others."

"And why haven't you sought the last out?"

"Because they are still sleeping. They live, yes but they are asleep."

"And when they wake?"

"Then they will make themselves known to all," he says, "They have no choice. As neither of us did." He stares into the void for some time more, letting silence settle before ending it again. "Are you afraid of me, Queen Sov?"

She simply says she is not. "Good," he responds, "I didn't come here to be threatening." Pride turns away from the galaxy and rounds the throne again. Hands behind his back, his walk is leisurely. Mara follows, taking the way she came up, back down.

"My brother was here," he goes on. "Not here, in your City, but in your Reef. I can feel the remains of his presence. Almost see him walking the halls of your outpost. Under the guise of ambassadors to inform you of my existence, though I doubt you haven't already known for a century or three."

Mara says, "I simply suspected. I received my confirmation when I saw his face. Felt him arrive." She hums lowly, "Seems he is not 'awake', as you say, either."

Pride is walking again, footsteps echoing into the nothing as he tours his way around her court. "And you did nothing about it. Why?" He pauses to turn to her slightly, "And don't lie to me like you're lying to your brothers. About what you are. How long you've been here."

Mara ends that thread sharply. "What do you want, Herald of Night?"

Pride begins his walking again, up to one of the pixilated hologram tables at the center of her court. He waved one hand over dancing particles, smiling just slightly when they reacted. Then he turns again and puts his Deep-filled eyes onto her own, bright as the Sky itself. "Have you heard of the Black Garden?"

Her eyes narrow again. He laughs and waves a dismissive hand. "Stupid question, I know. But do you know what's inside it, your Grace? A piece of me. A piece of you. And a way to…" Pride stops talking, ripping his eyes away from her to stare off into the distance. His shoulders have tightened, his mouth a thin line. When he turns back, he speaks again. "Your friend wishes to speak." He says and deep in her core, she knows who he means.

"Are you afraid?"

A quiet scoff. "I killed too many of them during the great hunt to be afraid. She just recognizes power when she sees it. Opportunity when she sees it."

"As she should," Mara tells him, "So she obeys."

"And you're not worried about anyone stronger than you? Being usurped? It is always a possibility."

Mara's hand, clasped behind her back, tightens. "I grow tired of your deflecting, Herald. Tell me why you are here and then vacate my realm."

"Truly, majesty?" His bright teeth light up the night, " Your City is so beautiful. And I am working so hard to keep myself…contained."

With the last word, he touches the hologram table. The pixels jump and shake violently, forming images without command. A swirling vortex. A hooded face. A massive, three-eyed winged shape. A pyramid.

"_Enough_," Mara's voice booms. The tables suddenly shut down.

Pride removes his hand." My plans are moving ahead, Queen Mara," he tells her, rubbing his fingers together as if something was soiling them. "It's high time they did. My brother is essential to those plans." His hand drops. "More than that, he is important to me, even if I accept that I may have to give him up to do what is best, as you have with your own. Should _anything_, your Grace, happen to him, _everything_ is forfeit."

Mara regards him, colder than anyone else she has to interact with. Without a word or even base acknowledgement, she turns around and ascends back to her throne, reclining across it. "If you are so concerned with your brother's safety, Pride, why not take care of the problem now? He is not 'awake'. I could still end him. Leave his Ghost to my Wolves."

The man, deep and resonating, chuckles. "Are you admitting I could take care of the problem, your Grace?"

She laughs louder. "Don't be ridiculous. Not alone."

He hums. His feet are moving again. Slowly, he follows her path back up to the throne. She feels a shift in the air. Her eyes never leave his but her attention turns to the shadow. They almost seem to be crawling up to her. "You're a schemer, Grace, but not nearly as clever as you'd like to believe. You have no idea what I am capable of."

"I have seen Heralds before."

"But not one like me and you know it." He stops before her, standing at his full height. Not much taller than most but towering over her. "And I never once said I came alone."

Another change in the air and this one forced Mara's attention away from Pride. A smaller scale of the pressure and dread he exuded but enough. It was enough. Mara's eyes turned upwards, to the stone face that hung over her court. And in the Deep-black shadows, four pairs of eyes stared back. All as red as the blood they've spilled.

"I never took you for subtlety."

"I can be subtle."

"And how long did it take your brother to discover your Heralds? With your subtlety?"

Pride snorts and for a second of a second, she sees the man behind the monster. He steps back down. "I will concede that."

He walks down the steps away from her throne. "I won't say my brother is off-limits. You don't care about that. You're too smart to respect that." He turns to her once more, "But he is one man. Weigh his life against the lives of your people. _All_ of your people. Against your brothers. Against your own. Ask yourself if it is truly worth it."

Pair by pair, the eyes above her head begin to fade away. "You ask why I am here. It is simply to ask a favor. My only request, Queen Mara; do not make me a monster."

Pride turns away into blackness. From howling dark to howling dark, his feet no longer feel a solid surface beneath them and formless, sourceless lightning flash in the distance. It has never been so easy to physically enter the Ascendant Realm, even from the base he chose. But this place is so close, he could slip in accidentally if he is not careful.

His brother was learning.

Pride drifted forward, lightning making the void bright for just barely a heartbeat at a time. In that time, he can see into the distance. He does not see an end.

It ends as quickly as it began. Pride feels solid quartz stone touch his feet and a different darkness greets his sight. The room he is in is massive. It's main structure; a towering spire stretching up.

"I'm here." He quietly says, booming nevertheless, "You might as well show yourself."

She does. Pride's gaze is drawn to a ledge halfway up the spire. A cat, as sheer black as the Plane he just left, reclines along the ledge. Its tail twitched lazily in the air. Its eyes were as red as his.

It stands and stretches. Then it leaps forward and lands on the vertical pillar, sticking onto the smooth structure as if it was the ground itself. She begins to walk down and Pride watches her until she reaches the ground. She immediately walked towards him, eyes never disconnecting from his. As soon as he is close enough, she begins to rub against and between his legs, eyes closed, tail twitching and mewling.

Pride gazes down at her. "If your mistress was smart, she'd get rid of you. I would. I will, when I come to power. You know I will," he says. Pride squats down and holds his hand out. The black cat immediately comes up and rubs her face against them, purring against his skin. "And you're not concerned in the slightest," he laughs softly, taking his hand and scratching across its forehead. "I'll almost regret it." The fingers move for a few more moments then stop. "Almost."

In the next moment, Pride fades into the shadows. The cat lays itself down, it's red eyes glowing in the darkness and it's tail waving and twitching; contentment and anticipation intertwined and almost as one. Things were moving ahead indeed.

She could not wait to see how this ends.

* * *

"The Black Garden?" Kalli repeats. "No one should have business there. The Vex-"

"He had the Time's Conflux under his control for a long time," Sedia reminds her. "The Lightbearer, Kabr, was among his first. He may still have some Vex in thrall. He did not divulge details, of course. But it cannot bode well. For anyone."

Mara is watching them deliberate her words, distant but present. Her Wrath was watching her, trying against every odd to discern what her Queen was thinking. What words passed between her and the Herald.

Mara's voice rings out, ending their discussion. "Kalli, Sedia, and Shiro Chi will go to the Keep of Voices. Its occupant has already attempted contact and we need to ensure she is…behaving."

Mara rises to her feet. "Illyn, you and the rest of your Coven will join me in reinforcing our defenses. The Reef, the City, the Distributary. We will not be caught unprepared"

The Techuen's bow. Kalli, Sedia and Shuro Chi do so before fading in a flash of light. The rest await her word.

"Petra?"

Her Wrath seemed almost surprised at being addressed. "My lady?"

Mara closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath. "You will send a message to my brother. You and Uldren will prepare for their arrival at the Vestian Outpost. It is clearly what the Heralds want but the only way to move is forward."

Queen Mara takes each step one by one, boot heels clicking down the stairs calmly and with no haste. Her Coven and her Wrath parted from her path like the sea and as soon as she was at the head, they followed.


	12. Oncoming Storm

_Oncoming Storm_

* * *

Erek ducked behind the low wall of stone, a stream of bullets knocking chunks off just above his head. The machine gun tearing its way through hard rock just to reach him echoed off the walls but Erek could barely hear. He's barely been able to hear anything these last few matches. The noise in his head drowned out all others until all he could think of was the fight. This one, then the next one, then the next. On and on for nearly a full twenty-four hours, no stop to sleep or eat. Even Shaxx was showing concern. Erek would always blow off his questioning. He simply demanded to know where the next fight would be and Shaxx would tell him, albeit begrudgingly.

The bullet storm stopped, the wielder needing to reload. Two more signals on Erek's radar. Two more Guardians closing in to smoke him out and not a single teammate of his own to be found.

Preferable, if he was being honest. No one else to worry about. Nobody to get in his way.

Erek bolted from cover, darting towards the closest and where he went, lightning followed and his blade cut through armor, flesh, and bone like a hot knife through butter. The Guardian was vaporized completely in the aftershock and Erek's feet touched the ground for only a heartbeat before he sprung forward again, towards the next. Another Hunter, one with more experience and faster reflexes than her friend. Neither were enough. Erek brought her down just in time to hear a small, quiet click.

He let the Arc lightning carry him just before the stream of bullets resumed, not away but towards his opponent, pulsating red surrounding his vision until he could see nothing else but the target in front of him.

His hand tightened around the hilt of his blade to the point of pain. The machine gun aimed at him was screaming, the Light crackling out of his body was screaming, he might have even been screaming. But the closer he got, the less any of it he heard or felt.

The knife sunk in deep and Erek discharged the remainder of his Light. The sudden force sent him flying backwards, reducing his enemy to dust on the wind so quickly, Erek doubted there was any pain. He felt no pain himself. And then he did.

His legs quivered underneath him as soon as he got them there and he immediately fell to his knees, struggling for air. Erek's head rolled downward on a limp neck. He had but a second to see his armor, eyeing the tiny, ragged holes riddling his body. The red of his vision turned black and all he could feel was himself falling forward.

The sun was gone by the time he could breathe again. Low light met his vision as he jerked back to wakefulness. "Eren?" He croaked, "Eren!"

He heard her voice above him. "Match's over. We're back on the ship. You died."

Erek pushed up to his knees before tearing his helmet off and letting it clatter across the deck, taking in as much air as he could unhindered. "Start finding the next match. I only need a minute."

"Shaxx has banned us from the Crucible."

"...What?"

His Ghost was at the controls, turned away from him. "Shaxx says you're taking a break."

"And you agreed to it?!" Erek was sure he sounded a lot stronger than he felt. Just pulling one leg underneath himself was difficult enough. Then the second one before pushing up to his full height.

She turned on him. "You're not thinking, Erek. At all. You ran through a storm of bullets!"

"I dodged-" He paused to shake out the ringing in his ears, "I dodged most of them."

"Not enough. It killed you." She turned back around, towards the window. "The other team was up by one and your stunt won them the fight."

Erek opened his mouth to speak, but only aggravated his dry throat and started a fit of coughing. Eren turned slightly, now more concerned than annoyed. Still, she quietly said, "You would have known that had you been thinking."

Hand to the wall, Erek struggled forward until he felt strong enough to walk unassisted. He dropped down into the pilot's chair, staring out the window at the Earth below.

"You're thinking about her."

Erek's grip tightened on the seat arm. "I'm _always_ thinking about her."

Undeterred by his dismissiveness, she said, "You're thinking about him too."

Erek's shimmering blue eyes remained on the Earth. His body was stone-still, even as his fingers dug harder and harder into the arms of his chair and the tips of them began to burn.

"Erek?"

His eyes swiveled over to her, her own unchanging one filled with concern, somehow. "I've...received a message."

Erek forced himself to relax, the tension slipping out with a stream of air through his nose. "From who?"

"Petra Venj."

The tension returned and Erek went still. Then he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, forcing himself to try and relax again. "Well? Petra isn't messaging me for fun. What does my sister want?" Whatever it was, it was important enough to force Mara to reach out. He already had his suspicions.

"I'm...reading the message now." Eren's eye swiveled back and forth, as if the words were written before her. "It's very strange but I feel like I recognize it." She looked at him. "Or you do."

"Alright." Erek leaned back in his seat. "Read it aloud."

"_Portia, Rior, and Illyn have intercepted details on_-" A silent command told her to stop. Erek was sitting up again, eyes focused on nothing. "The message doesn't make any sense. But it does to you," she said.

Erek jumped to his feet and started rummaging around the ship. "The beginning of the message, it says 'Rior'? Not 'Kamala Rior' or 'Paladin Rior'?"

He ducked out of her sight. "Yeah, just 'Rior'."

When he returned, a pencil was held in one hand and a crumpled sheet of paper in the other. "It's a code. One I haven't heard in a while." He wrote down the first name. "Don't trust myself anymore to do it right in my head. Read it out." In most cases, he wouldn't have written it down at all but in his ship, he was safe. Before every departure, he had Eren check for wires or bugs, anything that may record him without his knowledge or permission. Kayla's and Daniel's as well. Old habits died harder than Guardians.

Eren looked between him and the sheet. Then she started again. "_'Portia, Rior and Illyn have intercepted details on an attempted Divalian incursion_.'" She turned to him again, " 'Divalian?' Like the-" She looked down at his writing. Four names. The first letter circled on all of them.

Veins were raised on his hand with how tightly he held the pencil. "Yes, the Mists. Keep going."

" '_Captain Ester, under orders of Techeun Sedia and Paladin Eld will work with Captain Endrin while Techeun Kalli assists Sedia in reinforcement and concealment. Paladin Hallam suggests contacting Prince Erek_-'" Erek rolled his eyes, "'_and the Guardians to silence any and all conspirators. Paladin Abra, Paladin Rior and Crow Till will serve as points of contact.' _"

He hadn't heard some of these names in such a long time, since his departure. Nearly all brought back rather agitating memories, though not as agitating as what he read now.

Eren floated closer. "PRIDE SEEKS HEART." Her eyes returned to him, "Pride…"

Erek was holding the pencil to the point of shaking. He shoved the thing aside and grabbed hold of the paper. The old thing burst into flames, dust and then nothing a second after. He began to wake up the drifting ship, starting the ignition sequence and turning off autopilot. "How long has Shaxx 'banned' me from his Crucible?"

"Just the week but Erek? Erek, look at me." She flew into his sight, "If we're gonna do this, if we're gonna face _him_, you need to focus."

He pushed her out of his face. "This isn't the Crucible, Erek," she admonished sharply, "You can't just run into a hail of gunfire and expect everything to work out. Lust is not some random newly risen, he was one of the most talented Guardians we had and that was before Pride empowered him."

Erek remained silent. His eyes were wide and clear with loathing; both boundless and barely restrained. "The only solace I ever received for Eren's death was that Dredgen Yor was also dead. Dead and rotting in the dirt like the worm he was, only even less wanted," he spat out. He laughed bitterly, "But I couldn't even have that, could I? I've had to wake up every single day for the last three years knowing he was still here. He wasn't in the ground where he belonged, no, he was still breathing."

A shaky sigh violently escaped his mouth. "I can't live while he does. I can't," he rasped, "I need to kill him. I need to. _I need to_."

Eren could almost feel it and not in some intangible, metaphorical way. No, she could feel the hatred in his Light and in her own. She was his Ghost, she lived inside his head. When he slept, he dreamt and she saw Dredgen Yor through his eyes, grabbed at him with hands she did not have, hurt him with a bloodlust that wasn't hers'. In his dreams, they killed him every night. There was an edge and with every fight, with every dream, Erek moved closer and closer. He was going to fall soon and she wasn't sure she'd be strong enough to bring him back.

Their ship shot forward, down towards the planet. Erek took on the brunt of the piloting, freeing Eren up to contact the Vanguard. The channel was opened, the proper codes pushed through and Eren began to speak, only to be stopped by another signal; one that was incoming.

* * *

"Well, good of the Queen to actually remember us," Cayde said, "Conveniently when she needs us but hey, we take what we can get."

Ikora was slowly pacing the length of the Vanguard's main table. They had ordered the hall cleared and locked down, with only the Will of Light present. "I still struggle to believe that she didn't already know something about the Heralds. But we can only guess so much at her motives."

"And now this." Zavala pointed at the glowing map before them, an image of Venus with a particular set of coordinates highlighted. "A message from Asura's...friend."

"And you're sure we can trust this?" Ikora asked, speaking now to Asura. "Trust her?"

His response was immediate. "I don't trust her. Not necessarily," he affirmed, "But I do trust that she wants the Heralds dead."

"And we're her best chance. I understand." The look in Ikora's eyes said as much, even if any real trust was far away, "That doesn't tell us what she wants us walking into."

"Only one way to find out," Cayde told them, as if they needed reminding, "The riskiest. The dumbest and in any other situation, the most fun. But it's the only way."

Zavala crossed his arms, eyes running back and forth across the map, mentally examining their options and finding nothing sufficient. "Fireteams Aro and Katrina will go to Venus. Meet their friend."

"Since we can't…" Cayde quipped, "I get it. She's shy, we're pretty…"

"The others will prepare their things," Zavala turned on the Guardians, silent in the back of the hall. His eyes quickly landed on Erek before moving away. "There will be another trip to the Reef."

Zavala took in Erek in particular, his brow tight and his mouth a hard, thin line. He sighed before saying, "Daniel, Kayla...Erek. It's on you."

"We understand, sir." Daniel stood, prompting all the others to do the same. With the Commander's permission, the Guardians began to leave. Ikora watched them filter out until only one remained. Aro didn't even realize he was being watched. Dark eyes remained focused and unblinking on the map still lighting up the dim room.

"Aashir?" she called, still watching him.

Footsteps leaving stopped and turned, quickly coming up behind her. "Ma'am?" Ikora began to approach Aro, who only turned his head when she had gotten close enough. "It's just like your dreams," she said, "Your's and Maya's"

Aro's face tightened in an expression of pain. It was true. Red eyes in the darkness. A thundering heartbeat in their ears.

"Whenever I went to...wherever I went, Pride noticed me," he murmured, "It felt too real to have been a vision. Pride saw me." He tore his eyes away from the map. "What if he's just leading us along?"

"Even if he was, could we afford to ignore it?" Aashir pointed out, "If the Awoken's Queen has bothered to alert us, Pride is doing something we can't ignore."

"Agreed." Ikora returned her eyes to the map, hands clasped behind her back. "Go. Prepare."

* * *

The Vault of Glass stared him down, even as Aro attempted to do the same in return. A massive circle of hammered brass embedded into a Vex-made tower. Their teams had landed on the coast right before it, as far away as they could manage. The others were talking, some laughing while they did so, all of it so uneasy. The fight was a moment in time long past and the memories tortured them in its place.

Sora, quiet as she always was, stepped up to his side. "I feel like if I can stare down the entrance," he explained, "I can make myself less afraid of the place."

"Is it working?"

Silently, he shook his head. A gateway to the abyss, to hell, sealed probably forever and still, he was afraid.

Aro's sparrow appeared before him. He mounted and situated himself while the others moved to follow. "_It's almost time, Aro." _Through his Ghost's words, he could feel the apprehension or maybe just his own doubling back.

He took off down the path, leaving the Vault behind. The coordinates for the rendezvous led them to the Ishtar Academy. Known amongst the Guardians who regularly visited the Sink as the place with the statue, one of a winged woman, a god of an age that was ancient and nearly mythic by the time of the Traveler's arrival. Aro would only remember it as the place Wrath(K) ran off with Asura. But no one needed reminding.

"What are the odds your friend is already at the meeting point?" Jessie asked, raising her voice to be heard over the engines.

It was Crona who answered. "I doubt it," she said, "Diana doesn't appear unless she needs to and she never stays for long."

"Asura, you said you don't trust her," Jessie recalled.

"I don't."

"But you trust that she wants the Heralds dead."

"I do."

"Right." They reached the tunnel that would take them to the Academy. "Does that include you?"

The Hunter dismounted. "I'd be surprised if it didn't." Letting Jessie take point and Katrina on the rear, the team made their way through the tunnel; old, swampy water coming halfway up to their knees. The tunnel was devoid of Fallen and the first thought in Aro's mind was that they had been cleared out. Either way, they reached the end with little incidence. The tunnel opened up into the Ishtar Academy, the titular idol greeting them in the dimly lit room.

Katrina immediately began to move for high ground, one well out of sight. Sora moved off to the side, out of the largest area where any battle would most likely take place and Jessie remained on the central ground with Crona, Aro, and Asura. They began to wander, spreading out just a bit. Asura, eyes on the statue of Ishtar, started walking towards it. The area had been deeply tampered with, lots of Guardians and Fallen running back and forth through it since the last time they were here. The evidence of what had happened here was gone but the memory would never leave him. Watching Wrath(A) use his arm to take his gun and put one of his bullets through his friend's head while he was helpless to stop it.

His gloved fingers twitched and rose, extending towards the base of the statue and running gently against the cold stone. Without warning and before his mind can even process what was happening, his fingers freeze up, twitching against the stone. As soon as his mind can catch on, realization dawns. His eyes shift upward, finding between them the barrel of a gun.

"Who am I speaking to?" Diana readjusted her grip on the pistol.

"Me," he says, not even daring to move his hand, "Asura."

Diana doesn't waver. A distant and sharp whistle is what breaks the silence. The gun doesn't move but Diana looks up towards the entrance. Her bright blue eyes narrow at Katrina, holding a sniper aimed right at her. "Don't miss," they could both hear her murmur. A loud distinct cocking. "I won't."

"Diana." Aro's voice rang out. One hand outstretched towards her, the other towards Katrina. "You invited us to talk. Let us talk. _Just_...talk."

Blue eyes shifted between him and Katrina. Then to Asura, she asked, "They know Wrath(A) is the dominant ego?"

"Yes," Asura answered.

"And they've decided to keep you around? Why?"

Finally, Asura's arm returned to his side. "I wish I knew."

Finally, the gun lowered. Katrina lowered her own as well though her hands remained positioned to raise and fire. Asura could still remember the shot she hip-fired through a Warlock's forehead. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.

Diana spoke again. "So the people of your city call you Vaultbreakers now," she said.

"Mostly against our will," Crona replied.

"Regardless, it was not the only thing you broke," she told them, "Wrath(K) was valuable not just for his power but for his influence. Through him, Pride controlled the Vex of Venus. His death ended that."

All remained silent. "You don't seem pleased," Diana muttered.

"With all due respect, Diana, you wouldn't have called us here if it was about good news," Aro said, "At the same time you sent us the message, one of our own received another. It was about Pride." He sighed, filling the air with his weariness. "There's more," he said, "There's always more."

Diana grunted. "You're learning," she said roughly. She began to round the statue, slender fingers running quietly around the base. She then told them, "Pride's connection to the Vex was mostly severed. Not entirely and not permanently."

She took her hand back and locked eyes with Aro. "Have you heard of the Black Garden?"

It was Sora who answered. "Only the legends," she replied.

"It is no legend, Lightbearer. It is the birthplace of the Vex, a dimension of its own locked outside of our space and time. What Pride seeks, what he can still use to control them, lies there."

"Scouting reports speak of a massive construct appearing from a Vex gate in Meridian Bay. Is that it?" Jessie asked.

Diana was already shaking her head. "Pride doesn't seek the construct. He seeks what controls it," she responded, "A piece of the Darkness, sealed within a long time ago. The Vex from within that gate are connected to it in a way that sets them apart from any other Vex."

"He gets it, he retakes control of a small section of Vex." Katrina had relaxed her arms and lowered the sniper even further from the ready. "What difference does it make?"

"This is more than a way to control Vex." She stepped closer to them, seemingly past her initial distrust. "This piece of the Darkness has been draining the Traveler's power since it was put in place. Like Gluttony's shard, only on a grander scale and with no other function save draining."

"This piece of the Darkness. It's vital to the Garden?" Aro asked.

"It is its heart, Guardian." If she or anyone noticed the way Aro's fist suddenly clenched and opened, no one said as much. "Get rid of it and not only will the Traveler begin to heal but Pride will be kept from a dangerous source of power, "she explained, "If Pride gets ahold of it, your clan won't be able to stop him, the Awoken won't be able to stop him and even if all the Fallen Houses banded together, it still wouldn't be enough to stop him."

Diana's head lowered, her eyes closed. She opened them again. "I need you all to understand. We are reaching the climax." Without warning, her body began to glow and fracture. She was leaving. "Find the Garden, rip out its heart, Guardians," she said, "There is no time to delay."

Diana had said what she needed to say and as she always did, she left right after, fading away in a flash of dim light. As she did, Aro was overcome with the need to ask her if she knew who Pride was. Who he actually was. Maybe it was pointless. Maybe she did. But the more Aro wanted to ask, the more he realized how little it mattered and the realization didn't help in the slightest.

Katrina jumping down from her perch woke him up and sent a million other things running through his head. The Hidden's reports from the Valley of the Kings, how the Awoken were involved, where they would even begin entering this Garden. He found himself in agreement with Diana. There was a storm coming and there was no time to delay.

No matter how much it terrified him to see what came after.


	13. Lust the Gunslinger I

_Lust the Gunslinger I_

* * *

"The Thanatonauts recommend it."

"Those people say a lot of things," another voice replied, "Doesn't make it all worth listening to."

"Harsh words." The corner of Ikora's lips twitched upwards. "And here I thought some of them were your friends."

"And I thought you were beyond mincing your words."

Ikora's fingers slid over the smooth screen of an open datapad before picking it up. "I see no reason this thing doesn't have to die," she said, "It's making a mess of our operations on the Moon." She handed the tablet over to her companion. "Osiris could do it but Osiris is gone now."

"I refuse to believe even you could tear Osiris away from his own ass long enough to serve the City he once called home."

Overcome with a strange sense of defensiveness. Ikora said, "Kabr's death and Pahanin's…injury, they changed him. He never really forgave himself."

Silence followed, soon broken by a resigned sigh. The tablet was put back down. "Saint is available. His birds won't miss him too much. As is Rezyl Azzir." The Guardian stepped away from the table and turned. "Personally, I recommend Azzir."

Ikora hummed. "Any particular reason why?"

"He likes the Moon."

A pause, then soft chuckling. "Will do." The clicking of footsteps increased as the other Guardian began to leave. "Eriana?"

The footsteps stopped. Ikora turned her head only slightly. "Thank you."

Silence. Then the footsteps resumed.

* * *

The darkness boomed. Shards of stone rained down from the ceiling and pattered against the ground.

Another boom rocked the pitch black, trembling with the force of a quake. Then another, even harder than the last. Then another and another. With each rattling impact, the surrounding stone cracked, letting rays of light spill forth like water.

Then three slams; massive and in quick succession. The cracks in the slabs widened into crevices then holes before the entire wall shattered with a resounding crash. Light flowed through like a burst dam and against the stream stood a figure, tall, broad and imposing.

The shadow of a Ghost appeared over his shoulder and through her eye, more light beamed into the now open cavern. She flew further in, turning from side to side, scoping the entirety of the area. "You know for someone in such a rush," she said, "You sure took your time making us an entrance."

"I told you, Kiara." The Titan stepped closer to the hole, peering over the edge to examine the drop. "Couldn't risk caving in the place."

"I already told you it was hollow," Kiara shot back. "You just like punching things."

The Titan opened his mouth and before anything could come out, she snapped. "Go ahead. Deny it to someone who can read your mind."

"I wasn't…" Kiara glared harder somehow and her big Titan, successfully cowed, chuckled, "Alright, alright."

Rezyl Azzir dropped into the hole and landed with a heavy, grunting impact. His eyes followed his Ghost's eye and when he was sure the way was completely clear, he began to move forward. "Let's get through this quickly," Rezyl mutters. Louder he says, "I want to go see Serene soon."

"I can't believe you enjoy this place," griped Kiara, keeping her eye on the ground and herself close to Rezyl's shoulder.

"I like the stars without all the lights of the City," he replied, "I like the sight of the Earth from the Anchor of Light. I like that I can see Mars from the Archer's Line. I don't like the caves."

"The Moon is all caves. And Hive. And whatever else." Kiara affected a shuddering sound.

"How do you feel?" Rezyl asked, slowing to a stop.

"Fine," Kiara said quickly, "Just the usual."

"Every Ghost says that and they never specify."

"Sagira always felt it a bit worse." Her shining eye turned down. "She only ever said 'down there'." Her eye came up. "The less time I spend in these caves, the better. We're looking for a Hive Wizard named Xyor," she explained, reading from Ikora's briefing. "Her and her Knight…" Kiara paused, sighed and then corrected, "Knight-Consort."

"How does that work?"

"You don't want to know. She spends her time terrorizing the Hellmouth and her downtime around here. Scouts always see her retreat to the Circle of Bones." Kiara paused. Rezyl stopped as well. "The last of Ikora's Hidden that tried to follow her further very nearly died. Attacked by something she couldn't describe except that it was big, metallic and had weird, red, glowing eyes. She barely escaped."

"Back to me then." She floated to him and disappeared. Rezyl brought up his right fist and set it alight with Arc lightning. "Not the same as Solar Light but we'll make do."

There was still no explanation for how the deaths of the Iron Lords resulted in the collective loss of their Light. The strongest of them could only manage two elements and even those who could before call upon a third, like Saladin, Tallulah and Rezyl himself could not muster up their previous abilities. Lord Saladin had accepted it as further punishment. He could not protect his team with his fire so he deserved to lose it.

Rezyl stopped in his tracks for just a beat. Then in one fluid movement, he pulled a hand cannon out from behind him and fired into the shadows. An ear-piercing screech rang out, echoing and fading. Rezyl drew closer to the origin of the sound and held his fist further out.

A Thrall, crumbled to dust but the head remained, with the white, slender bullet of Rose jutting from the center of its skull. "These are their babies, right?" Kiara silently confirmed that they were. Rezyl turned. "Then mother must be nearby. And her Knight…Consort. How does that-"

Another screech echoed out of the cavern, joined with another and then another. The stone under his feet, above his head and in the walls around him rumbled with activity. The dirt shifted and Hive Thrall began to claw their way to the surface; out of the ceiling, out of the ground and the walls, flooding the tunnel Rezyl was traversing. Rezyl lifted Rose and fired again, dropping one of the Thrall. He lunged forward with the Arc fist, discharging it into a second before shooting a third, a fourth and a fifth.

Many began to change direction, running around Rezyl as well as back and away, making it impossible to keep track of them all at once. The Thrall did not need long to take advantage of their numbers. Rezyl felt one suddenly latch onto his back. He grabbed it and threw it off before two more jumped onto him. More and more followed suit until the Titan was obscured from view, smothered from head to toe in a violently writhing mass of Hive with more and more of them piling on.

A streak of sharp blue lightning was the only warning. The mound of Hive blasted apart, the explosion illuminating every corner of the cave. Sheathed in his Light, Rezyl struck Thrall out of the air into dust as more continued to jump at him. A swift and hard rounding kick tore three into pieces. A vicious shoulder charge sent two more flying back into the darker recesses of the cave and knocked one flat to the ground, it's head crushed under heel before it could stand.

There were few left after that display and even less of them dared outright confrontation. They waited, running back and forth around the same space, searching for an opening, a lapse in his awareness.

One only thought it found it. It charged; head low to avoid gunfire, the Thrall crossed the short distance between them in three long strides. It jumped, arms held high, claws aching to rend and the ever-present screech spewing forth from its desiccated throat.

The screech was cut short. A massive, armored hand darted out and grabbed the Thrall by its neck. Rezyl held the alien aloft, its thrashing doing little to sway him, wailing in fury and indignation. Beneath his helm, Rezyl gave a smile. "Is your mother home?" He asked, "I'm here to take her out."

"_You know how that sounds, right_?"

The retort on Rezyl's lips died when a new sound reached his ears. Heavy stomping and the sound of stone grinding against stone. Rezyl, keeping the Thrall in place, only turning his head to the side. And then upwards.

A Knight. Taller than him, taller than even Shaxx and even Kabr. It stepped forward from the obscuring shadows, dragging behind it a massive cleaver. The remaining Thrall, still roaming the outskirts of their makeshift arena, parted to let it through and the low light streaming in from the holes they had made turned its skeleton smile into something even more gruesome and disturbing. It came to a stop at some distance, just watching him. Rezyl watched it back, absent-mindedly squeezing the neck of the Thrall in his hand until it gave way. He released it, letting it crumble to dust beside his feet.

At that, the Knight roared. It lifted its blade high into the air and charged, its pounding footfalls shaking the ground beneath the Titan's feet. Rezyl ripped Rose from its holster, infusing its core with his Light. Practiced to be quick and thorough, the empowered hand cannon practically sang back to him. Rezyl aimed and fired, missing the Knight by bare inches. Instead, it blasted through the skull of the last of the Thrall, the force of the shot knocking it against the wall. Rezyl himself charged, tucking and rolling beneath the Knight's descending sword to reach the Thrall's crumbled body. From it rose a sphere of Light, shimmering in the air.

As soon as Rezyl was near enough, the sphere darted forward and splashed against his weapon, causing Rose to begin glowing. As soon as it did, he twisted around and before the Knight, who had changed its course, could properly react, several bullets sprouted from its chest.

Rose's empowered shots staggered it. The holes left in its armor glowed with white hot fire, setting every part of its insides alight with pain. But pain could be endured and forced past. As soon as Rezyl stopped to reload, the Knight recovered, grabbing a large boulder off the ground and lobbing it in his direction.

Rezyl barely had enough time to move out of the sailing stone's path. The Knight used his stumbling, charging again with its cleaver held high over its head. Rezyl barely managed to avoid the drop. Rolling to the side, kicking up to his feet and reloading, Rezyl fired again.

The Knight didn't seem to notice, running through Rezyl's shots as if he was pushing against a strong gale of wind. When its shoulder connected with his chest, the Guardian felt more surprise than pain. It took but a second to realize he had been knocked off his feet and sent sailing through the air. He twisted in his flight, forcing his feet to the ground and coming to a sliding stop.

Rezyl's eyes came up and were greeted to the sight of another boulder, this one thrown too soon after the first strike for him to avoid. Instead, he called forth the Void, taking the nothing of the universe and donning it like armor. The second impact was less of a surprise, giving way to pain, less so with the Void between them.

Rezyl righted himself once again. A machine gun came up with him and without hesitation, he opened fire. The bulletstorm lit up the cavern like a torch. Streams of holes were carved into the walls as the Knight ran. Tucking into a roll just as Rezyl did before, it came to a stop behind another boulder. Clawed hands clutched the sides and dug into the stone before lifting it. Large, heavy and thick, the Knight used the boulder as a makeshift shield as it ran hard towards Rezyl.

The Titan dropped the machine gun. His free hands came up and caught the boulder. Though he was able to keep himself from being overwhelmed, Rezyl found that he could not stop the Knight's momentum. The Knight forced him further and further back until he was against the wall. Using only one hand to keep the slab from crushing him, Rezyl drew back his fist and punched it. Just as this whole incursion had begun, Rezyl struck out again and again and again, cracks growing in the face of the stone. One last Arc-infused punch blew the stone slab to pieces. Pressing its advantage even more so, the Knight jumped away and grabbed for its blade, discarded on the ground.

The strike finally connects. Rezyl fell hard, slammed to the ground. Air left his chest in one strangled gasp. From his back, he could feel the shards of bones that had been his ribs pushing into his lungs just as he could feel his Ghost rushing to stem the tide of blood pooling in them.

He sees the Knight. Two of them. Then just one as everything comes back into focus. It stands over him, wide and proud, relishing in Rezyl's defeat even more than in its accomplishment. The Knight took the handle of its cleaver in its second hand and raised it over its head.

"_Hold it…"_ Kiara said.

"_Holding…"_

"_Hold it…"_

"_I'm holding…"_

Ghost and Guardian watched the blade rise higher and higher. _"Hold it…_"

"_Still holding, Ki-"_

The sword dropped. Rezyl heaved, Arc Light bursting from beneath the surface of his skin and swinging his legs around in a wide, circling arc. Timed with extreme precision, his legs met the descending blade and the arms holding it at the elbow's level. Now, his strike connected and it was to devastating effect. The legs tore through the arm and the entire set thudded loudly to the ground; both the blade and the arm that had held it.

The only thing louder than the weapon's fall was the Knight's scream. It staggered back some distance, stumbling away even further once it took sight of Rezyl, on his feet and advancing. The Titan bent down and took hold of the cleaver, heaving the weapon up and ready with both hands.

The Knight suddenly threw itself forward and its remaining arm was darted towards Rezyl's chest. Simply stepping to the side and bringing the sword down earned him another satisfying, echoing scream. It stumbled again, its legs giving out from under it and dropping the Knight to its knees, with no arms to help it rise again.

Rezyl walked around towards its back, slowly, dragging the Knight's own weapon behind him across the stone, reminiscent of how their fight had started. The head twisted weakly, following him, shoulders rising and falling in an imitation of breath long ago made unneeded.

With a yell, Rezyl twisted. The blade lifted and sailed around with him before coming down hard on the Knight's neck. The cleaver slid through chitin and bone like butter. The Knight's head clattered to the ground. Its body slumped over further and then pitched forward, clattering to pieces after it.

Rezyl stands over the body, shoulders heaving, cleaver still held tightly in hand. Kiara silently went to work on his injuries, refastening torn sinew and repairing shattered bone. Rezyl stretched his back as soon as it was less painful to do so. Taking a few more seconds to regard the body, he let the blade fall to the ground and threw a kick at its head, sending it sailing into the shadows.

"_Childish_."

"_Worth it." _

"_True." _

The head froze. Floating above the ground but no longer flying, the skull spun in the empty air until gnarled, bony claws reached out of the dark.

Rezyl's hand went back to Rose. He watched as they took hold of the skull, tracing talons into cracks and bony crevices as if it knew them better than anything else in the world.

The creature floated forward. Hive, garbed in the familiar, flowing robes of a Wizard. She paid Rezyl little mind, cradling the severed head close to her body and cooing in a gentle tone, one that was both sad and unsettling.

Rezyl shakes off his trepidation, though he keeps his hand near Rose. "Xyor, I presume," he called out. The Wizard didn't dignify him with a response. He kept on anyway. "Word on the street is you're single."

Now, she looks at him, head turning slowly to set her burning eyes on her love's murderer. Rezyl pulls Rose from its holster, brandishing it so she could see what was coming next. Her eyes stayed on him. Her claws continued to trace the lines of the Knight's face.

"How does it feel?"

The sudden question stopped Rezyl in his tracks. The face hadn't shifted, the mouth hadn't moved but Rezyl was more than certain the Wizard had spoken to him, in perfect Common, no less. He resumes walking.

"Did it feel good?"

He stopped again.

"Did it feel good?" she asked again, "To take those most cherished from those who cherish them?"

Rezyl kept his eyes on her face but he couldn't miss the subtle dig of her fingers into the Knight's severed head. "Surely, you are developing a taste for it. For you will do it again. And again. And again."

"I didn't come to answer your questions." Rezyl's voice echoed out. "I didn't come to trade gossip like a couple of teenagers. I didn't even come for an explanation of why you're doing what you do."

Rezyl opened his Light to Rose's shard. He aimed it down. "I came here for your head." He shrugged. "I was going to make it quick and painless but…" he gestured with his chin at the Knight in her hands. "You understand," he said. "Now if you have any more children or lovers you want to throw at me, feel free. I'd be happy to start with them."

"No," Xyor said.

"No?" Rezyl repeated. "Out of children?"

"No," she said again, "The end of Rezyl Azzir does not come here. Only the beginning of the end. The start of the fall. And the abyss, it is eternal. Enduring." Xyor began to move, slowly gliding forward, bobbing through the air as if she was as weightless as paper. Sense told Rezyl to step back. Or maybe it was Kiara. Same thing, really. He couldn't bring himself to listen.

She stopped before him, forcing him to crane his neck upwards to look at her. She was taller up close and Rezyl was no small man. He readjusted his grip on his gun and kept the sights aimed down.

"Rezyl's Azzir's Light. Strong. Unyielding but not boundless. A beacon of hope. A message of the Gardener's love," she intoned, "A taker of joy. A destroyer of spirits. It shall shatter lives. It shall be shattered just the same."

Rezyl did not move.

"He will cause the pain he has caused me. He will force others to endure the trial he has forced me to endure until the stars grow cold. And this time, he will not survive his reckoning."

Xyor's eyes narrowed and she began to bend down, until she was right at ear level. Once she was near him, she whispered, "Nothing dies like hope. Nothing is more sweet than watching the light dim in their eyes as the voice telling them there is still a chance falls deathly and then eternally silent. You will experience it. You will despise it. And then, in time, you will come to crave the euphoria it brings. I look forward to meeting you again, Rezyl Azzir."

The cavern came alight with gunfire. Rezyl Azzir fired off several shots into the Hive Wizard, his finger still pressing down on the trigger even as it clicked empty. He blinked, his vision swimming. When the world became coherent again, Xyor was gone and the face of the stone wall was filled with holes.

"_She's gone_,"Kiara murmured to him. "_Hold a moment. Let me…_" she paused, "_Review the...playback_."

"_Kiara? What is it?_"

"_There's no one there. There never was,_" she tells him. "_We've just been standing here, talking to nothing this whole time._"

Rezyl turns to where he had killed the Knight. Its body remained in place, still down in the position it had died in, flat on its stomach. He turned his attention back to the wall and stepped closer. He put up a glowing fist and held it out.

The head was gone.

His fist dropped. In the other, Rose was still held in a tight grip. Rezyl holsters it and starts his way back. Kiara calls down his ship.

* * *

"Ikora, you there?"

"We hear you, Rezyl."

"We didn't find the Wizard," he said, "We found her Consort. A powerful Hive Knight."

Her affirmative hum buzzes over the comms. "The Knight was slated for assassination himself but it is strange you did not see her."

Rezyl gripped the arm of his seat. "We didn't find her, Ikora. But we did see her. She appeared in my mind, somehow. She just said I'd pay for what I've done to her Knight."

Another hum. "Odd. She's never directly communicated with anyone before. At least, not in any way that wasn't hostile." Ikora then sighed, "We will continue our monitoring. Thank you, Rezyl."

"Of course, Master Ikora."

"Are you going to go see her now?"

Rezyl's finger froze halfway to ending the connection. A small smile touched his lips and at the mere mention of Serene, the fog on his mind began to clear. "I am. Gonna be down there for a while too."

"Good. You've earned your rest," Ikora said, "Take it."

"Happily, Ikora."

"And-" Muffled shouting cut her off. "Okay," he heard her say. "Okay, I'll tell him!" Her voice turned back to him. "Rezyl, Saint says hello."

"Why is he shouting?"

"He's on the other side of the hall."

"Just have him come closer."

"So his yelling can be louder? It's Saint." Ikora then chuckled softly. "We'll speak again soon, Rezyl. Goodbye for now."

* * *

Early. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon and the mountains that lined them. They would have a clear day, at least, it's what they hoped. But again, the day was still young and the weather wasn't as predictable as people wished to believe.

Bran pulled his fingers out from between the blinds, darkening the room again. He sat back down on his bed and pulled his boots onto his feet before standing again. He rounded it, stopping by his wife's side. Blue fingers ran gently through white hair before Bran bent down to press a kiss to her lavender cheek. She burrowed deeper into their covers.

He left the bedroom as quietly as he could, shutting the door. As soon as he did, he heard noise coming from downstairs. He started towards the steps, pausing by a room and found the door slightly ajar. He smiled and kept on.

"Serene?" Bran called. The sounds downstairs stop.

"I'm down here, father," came the reply.

He went down the stairs. "Yes, I can see that." He turns the corner to find her in the kitchen, looking as if she had been there for a while. "Making breakfast?"

"Yep." She paused to push a strand of black hair from her face. "All your favorites."

"My favorite includes a mug of beer." She turned to him, eyebrow cocked. He raised his hands. "Just saying."

"The healer said no more."

"The healer doesn't control me."

"No but mother does." She turned with a cup in hand, placing it down. Coffee, black and steaming. "This will have to suffice."

Bran snorted derisively. Then he smiled. He took up the mug and sat down at the table. "Thought I was getting up early. Was gonna get started on breakfast myself."

"I promised Sebille I'd help her with shearing the sheep today." She dropped several things into a cooking pot hot on the fire. "She likes to start early."

"Her wife still away?"

"Should be back the day after tomorrow." Sound from the steps caught their attention and Aquinea paused halfway down. "No one in this family sleeps as they should, do they?"

"Good morning to you too." Bran raised the mug in greeting. He only received silence and another cocked eyebrow. "It's coffee."

Aquinea looked at her daughter. Serene turned around with another mug. "It's coffee, mother." She put the cup on the table. "And this is tea."

The eyebrow relaxed and so did Bran's shoulders. He felt his wife press a kiss to the crown of his head when she passed to sit down. "How's your back, dear?"

He took a sip. "Better," was all he said.

"I know you want to work on the fences," she said, "But I still think you should give another day or two."

Bran chuckled and took hold of her fingers. "I'm fine, love. I swear."

"You were groaning on the stairs, father." Serene comes back to the table, hands holding plates of pork sausage, fried eggs and fruit. She placed them down and followed with a steaming loaf of bread down along with a warmed knife and some butter at the center.

"Wooden stairs. Cold weather." Bran immediately cut off a piece and popped it into his mouth. "You're a smart girl, you figure it out."

"Bran…" Now Aquinea takes his fingers in hand.

It was all she needed to do. He sighed. "I'll do a little today and see if I can get one of the neighbors' boys to help me. Deal?"

"Deal."

Serene finally sits down with her own plate and her own mug full of coffee, slightly sweetened. They eat and talk, going over their plans for the day as they've done every morning for nearly three decades. Time always seemed to pass so quickly when they did and inevitably, one of them would complain of how high the sun was in the sky already. If that wasn't a sure sign of their enjoyment, there was none.

Bran was the one this time. He slid back his chair and stood, pilfering the last piece of bread before his daughter could get to it; the price of betrayal. He leaves the table behind and takes up his coat and hat waiting for him at the door, putting both on. Bran put his fingers to the blinds at the door, peeking out the window.

"Um…"

Serene and Aquinea stopped talking. "Bran?" He turned to look at Aquinea for just a second before turning back. "Bran, is something the matter?"

He pulled his finger back. "The…fence. It's…fixed."

The two of them stood and came over to the window. Bran moved aside to let them see. It was as he said, their fence, knocked over in a storm, knocked over no longer. Bran pushes the door open. His family follows close behind, giving distracted greetings to neighbors and others passing by. "Could someone have fixed it for us?" Aquinea asked.

"In the night?" Serene pointed out, "For free?"

A pained yell rings out into the morning air, causing Serene to jump and Aquinea to grab hold of her husband's arm. Still, they both followed Bran as he walked the path of the repaired fence. The work was well done and very recent. Which only made the entire thing more confusing. As Serene said, this kind of work? For free?

The three of them turn the corner, following what sounded like work still being done.

Rezyl Azzir pulled his finger out of his mouth and spit out what looked like a splinter. He then lifts and puts down another log, standing it up on one of its ends. Out of his armor, Rezyl had on simple, functional farm clothes with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing scarred forearms. An old cap on his head keeps brown hair out of his eyes and his beard had grown longer and shaggier since he had last visited.

Ensuring the log was properly settled, Rezyl took in a deep breath of air. Then he lifted his fist high above his head and brought it down hard. The log sank hard into the ground, punching through the soft dirt until it was set and sturdy.

Bran and Aquinea part as Serene pushes past them, calling out Rezyl's name. The Guardian turns and waves, opening his arms just in time for Seren to leap into them. He lifts her up into a massive hug, flourishing spin and all. Aquinea's hand leaves Bran's arm as the both of them begin to relax.

"He's just showing off," Bran mutters as the two of them begin walking forward.

"You're jealous."

"Just saying. Most people use a sledgehammer."

"And most men can't wrestle a rampaging bull to the ground."

Rezyl still has Serene held up in the air, her forehead pressed to his sweaty one. Bran and Aquinea stop before them, allowing them a moment of quiet and space. Bran's patience ran out much quicker. He cleared his throat and smiled at the way Rezyl's eye popped back open, as if he remembered there was still a world outside his love's arms.

"Uh, sir! Ma'am!" He put their daughter down and lowered his head in greeting. He pulled the hat off his head and unsurprisingly, a mess of brown hair fell into his eyes. "I saw the fence when I arrived and some of the other villagers told me what had happened. I thought I could help."

"Well, we thank you." Aquinea hooked her arm through Bran's. "This one's back thanks you most," she said, laughing when Bran shooed her away. "Thank you, Rezyl. Really." She pulled her arm back. "Unfortunately, we do have our own work to get to."

"I'll leave you to it then."

Serene's hand, still held in his, slid out as she pulled away, quiet promises to speak later.

When they were alone, Bran asked, "How long have you been here, Rezyl?" He leaned back on one of the wooden posts and crossed his arms.

"Just about four hours."

"You don't sleep?"

"Haven't needed to." He slams another wooden post into the ground. "I still do, on occasion but I don't require it."

"Well, your usual place in the barn is available," Bean gestures at the large building behind the house. "I still wish we had room in the house to give you. It can't be easy, what with the smell."

The other man's lips lift just slightly in amusement. "I've taken a poisonous sulfur spring full to the face, sir. On the Sink," he said, "Horses and cows mean nothing." Rezyl shrugged, "I assume it smelled worse. Sense of smell was the first thing that had shut down. Either way, I'm grateful."

"As you say." Bran turns his head back towards the house and the center of their village. He sees Serene briskly walking past, heading to Sebille's place down the street. Naturally, she turned to wave again. Both men waved back. "Still doesn't feel right. Aquinea and I pretty much regard you as a son now.

Rezyl pauses in his work, his face remaining carefully neutral and blank. Bran continues. "I trust you have plans for that? If you're waiting for our blessing then you've had it for months."

"Serene and I have spoken about it. Mainly how we'll handle the issue of my immortality."

"Is it a big problem?"

Rezyl put down the log he was holding, taking a moment to wipe the sweat from his forehead before it could reach his eyes. Then he said, "I can bury Serene, should she go before me. I've always thought it a possibility. But I can't bury my children. Or my grandchildren. It would be too much to ask of me." Rezyl takes the wood back up. "It's something we'll figure out eventually. Just have to give it time."

Bran smiles and puts his hand to Rezyl's shoulder. "Like I said, take all the time you need. I may have had my doubts before, as any father would, as you will with your own children but you've proven yourself more than good for Serene. When the two of you are ready, we're all here."

"Thank you. Really, thank you."

Bran began to walk away. He stopped. "Dinner's at sundown, Rezyl. Don't be late."

"Yes, sir. I'll be there."

* * *

The night was clear; just as cloudless and peaceful as the day had been. It's cool, as could be expected for a village so close to mountains.

The wind blew. Rezyl could hear it among the rafters. He could feel it in the draft that had passed. The barn had little in terms of bedding save for bales of hay and blankets Aquinea had set out for him, when it became clear that the Guardian who had saved their little village from a Fallen attack would come to make it his home away from home.

It was quiet. That was all he needed. The wind was soothing, cooling the bare skin of his back and arms better than the shock of a cold bath. What was best was the view. The barn stood higher than most other buildings in the village. From its upper opening, Rezyl could see far over the village, far past it into the woods and most importantly, at the night sky and every star that graced it.

In the night, he could only ever hear Kiara moving about the barn. The animals were always relatively quiet unless someone entered the barn. Rezyl liked to think they were warning him.

They started warning him now. Kiara paused in her gliding and peeked over the side of their floor to the first one. Then she turned and came back to him. "_Serene is here_."

Rezyl sat up slightly, hearing footsteps on the stairs and sat up all the way when she indeed appeared. "Serene…"

"Sorry." She smiled and came up the rest of the stairs. "I hope I didn't wake you."

"No, no. Was just…" he gestured to the sky, "Stargazing." He took just one step forward and she came the rest of the way. He lifted her into his arms again and this time, with her parents not around to watch, he kissed her deeply.

They parted. A beat passed. Then she said, "You reek."

Rezyl snorted into her neck. "You like it," he retorted.

He placed her back down on her feet. "Why do men always think that? We like the sweating, not the smell. Maybe other men like it."

"Oh, there's no denying that." He kissed the top of her head. "You're staying?"

"I'm staying," she answered, kicking off her slippers. "Not sure how you stand it up here. It's cold," Serene said, sitting down on the bale.

"I've been to colder places." Still, Rezyl pulled extra blankets out from a hidden corner. "Could've worn more clothes."

"You're half naked!"

"And I've been to colder places!" He put the blankets down on the bed. "Spent my first thirty years in snowy mountain ranges. Froze to death at least four times," he said, dropping down from the second floor. He went over to the massive sliding door and with some effort, pulled it shut, covering them in total darkness. With a running start, Rezyl jumped and used his Light to lift himself even further. He landed on the second floor with a thud, earning a groan of complaint from one of the cows down below. Serene didn't even have the decency to fake being impressed.

"Sometimes I forget how old you are," she then said, "Thirty years, centuries before I was even born." She laid down on the bed and moved over, allowing Rezyl to join her under the covers. "Just you and Kiara?"

"Just the two of us." He pulled her into his arms. "Afterwards, I decided to stop ignoring the pull in my head and we sought out the Traveler."

"Can you still feel the pull?"

"All the time." He aimed a finger towards the door, which was pointed south. "Always do. No matter how far away from Earth I am."

"And how far have you gotten?" Serene asked.

"I've left the system at least twice," he said, "Without permission, of course. I don't anymore. Nothing good out there. My attention is better served here."

Serene huffed in amusement. "Okay, that was sweet. I'll give you that."

"There's more I'm sure you can give."

She tugged on his beard. "Don't push it, cradle robber." She tugged on it again and this time pushed herself up and kissed him. "Now, I believe I was owed another story."

"Owed a what?"

"A story," she repeated. "You fell asleep the last time you were here."

Rezyl huffed out a laugh and pulled Serene further onto his chest to further warm her up. His other hand reached down to pull the blankets further onto her. "Alright then. Neither of us knows how to shut up so might as well. Any re-"

"Efrideet's Spear," she immediately ordered, "You were going to tell me about Efrideet's Spear. Then you left me hanging."

"You could've asked for it all the times I called."

Serene sighed and adjusted herself on his chest, fingers running gently through the hair. "It's not the same, Rezyl."

He craned his neck to look down at her. Then he laid back down. "Alright," he said, "Lord Saladin and Lady Efrideet had responded to a call for help from a nearby village. The Fallen had deployed a Walker and their defenses were beginning to fail…"


	14. Once More Unto the Breach I

_Once More Unto the Breach I_

* * *

Ikora was seated before a screen, one leg over the other with a steaming cup of tea beside a stack of datapads before her. The screen was awake, showing a map of their system. Below the map were faces, lined up together, seven in total. One in particular kept drawing her eyes back to it. She'd rather not acknowledge it.

Views of them were scarce and even then, never seen by anything other than satellites they had deployed or by the Awoken's spy network, who had started sharing limited amounts of intel with them. There have been some sightings of a Lightbearer nearly matching Lust's description. These were mostly in conjunction with seemingly random attacks on Guardians. Severe ones. No one had been permanently killed just yet but there were close calls. Ikora supposed she should be grateful. Pride wasn't targeting civilians. And then this talk of Shadows-

The door behind her slid open. Ikora turned to see Aashir, Aveline and her brother step inside before letting the door close behind them. Silent, the three bow slightly and return to standing at attention. She regarded them for a few seconds more before joining them in standing.

The screen switches away from the map of the system and the faces. In its place, it starts up another picture. Mars, the Valley of the Kings.

"We never got to discuss this," she said, clasping her hands behind her back. Her Ghost starts the recording, playing out the battle between the strange new Vex and the Cabal. It goes the same as it always does, the Cabal struggling against the onslaught, the Vex tearing through their defenses. Then the giant hand reaches out of the King's Gate and falls, crushing the last of the Cabal incursion before the video stops.

The footage was taken from Aashir's Ghost. They had been the farthest away so the Ghost had managed to capture the clearest view of the three. It also had the least screen shake when the limb landed, nearly giving Ikora a scope of the thing's size.

"The Sol Divisive," she murmurs beneath her breath. Aloud, she asks, "What have you been able to learn?"

"Very little," Josef was the one to respond. "They receive orders from Gate Lords," he said, "And they come from somewhere we've never seen."

"Meaning?"

"My Ghost says the portal opened from somewhere not within this system. Or the next one over," he replied. "Further research says the coordinates go past our outermost satellites."

"Uncharted territory," Ikora finishes. Charted by the Vex. She shouldn't be so surprised. "You believe the Cabal have intelligence on it?"

"We found a database within their systems when we hacked into it," Aashir said. "It was behind several layers of security. Nothing we could crack under fire. So we marked it."

She picked up a datapad. "Has the mark been shared with me?" A beat passed and the indication glowed onscreen. Ikora opens the message and scrolls through the details, mainly concerning security and possible solutions. One could almost hear the gears working in her head as she added a few more solutions of her own, creating a working list. Then she asked them, "Have the three of you read my report on what Kayla did in the Vault?" They all confirmed that they had. Aashir confirmed further that they had discussed it somewhat.

Ikora wanted to deem it unprecedented, interfacing with Vex systems as Kayla had done. Achieving a level of integration over hostile technology that allowed her to take control of a Vex Gate and awaken it, turning it towards her desired destination and bringing Daniel and Aro back from whenever they had been thrown. "I'm sure you also know that she's been attempting to repeat the event here at the Tower. And that she's failed every time."

"Because she's only attempted to interface with inert objects, isn't it?" Aveline says, "Dead parts we've scavenged from our battles. They aren't connected to anything like the Vex gate was. Not anymore."

"If you're suggesting she attempt to interface with the King's Gate, the answer is no." Ikora's bluntness was as palpable as a Phalanx's shield to the head, only without the instant relief of death.

Aveline made an effort to choose her next words carefully. "I only meant," she said, "That maybe we can have her attempt to interface with the Cabal terminal. It won't possess the same level of danger and maybe she can crack their security measures from the inside."

Ikora seems to consider it. Then she tells them, "I'll keep it in mind."

They are dismissed with a wave of her hand. Ikora turns back to the footage as the three move to obey. The room goes silent when they leave and the doors have closed. Ikora then speaks out, "Jaren always said you would make a terrible Nightstalker."

More silence. Then the sound of a chair scraping against tile. "Never had the chance to try," Shin said, slowly walking up behind her, making no attempt to hide his approach. "Your agents seemed plenty fooled. Where a cover fails, a distraction might serve. They were more concerned about you than me."

Shin Malphur stopped at her side, staring up at the wide screen. The recording starts again, probably at the behest of his Ghost. Ikora doesn't speak again until it finishes, until the hand drops. "To be quite honest, I'm not so sure what I should do with them," she admits. "The only reason I am keeping them on this assignment is because they're already too close to it."

"That and you have little precedence for disavowing your Hidden."

Ikora lets her eyes turn towards him. He always had a habit of saying the things no one wanted to say aloud. Poured out uncomfortable thoughts like they weren't being kept unsaid for a reason.

"I can't kill them," she finally says after a long while. "But I'm no longer sure I can trust them."

"Unconsenting trust is not trust, Ikora."

"It is the only trust present." She sighed, "It's something that will require consideration when this is all over."

The recording had been started again. Ikora noticed just in time to watch the last of the Cabal forces get crushed. "Assuming we're still alive."

Shin Malphur hums and he does it in a way that could almost be mistaken for a bitter, humorless laugh. Almost.

* * *

"Sixx reports another attempt at interfacing with a Vex core," Fel said, "Another subtype this time. Still dead. Still a failure."

"She's not going to break through this wall by simply ramming her head against it over and over," Aashir snapped, not at his Ghost but in general.

"Clearly you've never tried." Josef walked past, taking up one of the datapads piled up on the table before jumping into Aashir's bed. Aashir barely reacted. They've made themselves at home in his quarters for years now. Aveline was even raiding his fridge while he worked. He rarely ate and only kept the thing stocked for their sakes. In return, they had set aside a guest room in their own home, should he ever decide to stay. He never did. He would just send their Ghosts' the grocery bill and quietly, he'd be refunded.

Aveline returned, reaching over his head to take another data. She pulled the apple out of her mouth. "You two catching the Iron Banner matches tonight? Our own are competing."

Aashir speaks before Josef can. "Aren't the both of you busy?"

"We've done more work in less time."

"This needs to be perfect, Aveline."

"It usually is," Josef said. "Relax, Aashir. The master isn't here."

Aashir didn't dignify him with a response. His own datapad had Fel's recording of the King's Gate. He didn't know why. In the hopes of finding a solution to it, perhaps. Or more likely, reminding himself that there were none. Subconsciously knocking into his own head that their best chance against a creature that size was to hope they never faced it at all.

His Ghost busied himself with a full database scan of known Vex subtypes as well as a total examination of the planet Mars. Aashir's own paranoia; he struggled immensely to believe that in the centuries since humanity had made it to Mars, not a single sighting of the Sol Divisive had been made. Not one. Their first scan was cursory but this database had every bit of data gathered by every Guardian who had ever set foot on Mars since the Collapse. Fel was just finishing. Aashir felt the disappointment emanating from his Ghost even before he answered.

"Nothing," he grumbled. "Nothing at all."

"Josef?" He calls out, maybe a bit louder than necessary, "Mercury? Venus?"

"Hernan just finished. Nothing."

"Io? The Vault?"

Aveline simply shook her head and grimaced, turning her datapad around, showing the blank page.

"So we're the first of humanity to ever see the Sol Divisive." Aashir tossed the datapad down, the clattering ringing out. "We're going to have to fight them. Fight..._that_. And we're completely blind."

"Before you start throwing fire at things…" Aveline put her tablet back more gently, "There are some things we should consider."

Aveline's Ghost flew into view. "There are two major possibilities we've been unable to look at," Esila told them, "The Nexus Mind's core-"

"Taken by Envy."

"And the Pyramidion."

Slowly, Aashir twisted in his chair, coming eye to eye with the Ghost. "Why the Pyramidion?"

"Ikora once said that it was a massive repository of information," she explained, going a bit quiet with all eyes on her. "Bigger than most others. We haven't had contact with the Divisive but the Vex have. If so, the Pyramidion has to be where that info would be stored."

"Io is restricted territory," Aashir mutters, more to himself than the others.

Still, he was heard. "Since when has that meant anything to us?" Aveline asked. "If we tell Ikora-"

"You assume she'll trust us with this."

"There is no one else to trust," she pointed out. "No one else is nearly as qualified."

But Aashir was shaking his head, eyes shut and muttering to himself, too low for anyone to hear. "We'll put it on the back burner for now," Fel said, his one eye glowing with concern.

"There's still the Cabal terminal," Josef said, shifting on the bed and moving to stand. "Kayla can help us with that."

Aveline, her eyes on Aashir and full of the same worry, said, "She leaves for the Reef soon."

"Maybe she should stay behind then."

Aashir put up a hand, signaling for them to stop. "I'll discuss it with the Vanguard," he said. His hands came together on the table. "When we first faced Envy, she said she forced Rasputin to give up the intel that said we'd attempt to retrieve Nexus Mind core."

"Don't know much about Warminds, boss." He could hear Josef pulling on shoes as he spoke. "But I've heard stories. Read the histories. To make a Warmind do _anything_?"

"She's bolstered by the power of the Darkness." A growl ripped its way from Aashir's throat. "It was a mistake to let him integrate with our systems," he states. "Even if he's helped us before, as long as Envy is in play, he is a liability."

Aveline hummed. Then with a sigh, she stood. Aashir's eyes followed her. "How long have you been at this, Aashir?"

She was asking how long he had been working. He looked at her then pointedly turned away. "Not long."

Aveline turned to his Ghost, who answered immediately. "Several hours," he said, "Before our meeting with Ikora."

"Right." Aveline reached over his head again and scooped up the pile of datapads. "Take a break, Aashir."

"No." He realized how petulant he sounded and refused to care.

"Aashir-"

"Am I the only one who gets it?" He suddenly bites out, silencing her. "Ikora doesn't know what to do with us yet. If we weren't Guardians, if we didn't have Ghosts, she would've had us killed by now."

"You don't know that-"

"I do!" He stands from his seat, turning on the twins, "Who would you trust with the things we've seen? The things we've learned? No one. And we've proven we can't be trusted. Not with her intel, not to remain objective. Even when lives are on the line."

"They were going to make Asura back into one of them," Aveline pointed out, but the way her shoulders had lowered some told him that his point had hit its mark.

"We didn't know that going in." Aashir dropped back down into his seat. "We did it to save Asura. There's no point in telling ourselves otherwise."

Josef shrugged and took some of the tablets off his sister's hands. "I'm certainly not," he said easily. Then he switched them over to one arm and put his free hand on Aashir's shoulder. "Ikora will be fine as long as we don't make a habit of this. We had a good reason. A very good reason. She cannot deny that."

His shoulders sagged under the gentle weight of the Titan's hand. "And if she does, Josef?"

"Then she's not the woman I thought I knew. Never mind disavowing us, I wouldn't want to be one of her's anymore." The hand squeezed and in a voice too gentle for being so rough, he said, "Get some rest. We'll both be here first thing tomorrow morning."

The hand slides off and the door opens. Aveline pats his shoulder as she moves to follow her brother, shutting off his lights and leaving him in the dark and quiet.

* * *

"Sora?"

"Hmm?" Sora turned away from her notes to find her Ghost with a book on top of her head. "Thank you, Aya." she accepted the book and flipped it open to where she had stopped a few days before. She had a mix of them spread across the table she had claimed in the library, both digital and old physical copies.

Katrina and Jessie hadn't joined her. They never really did, always forgoing studying with her for training in the Crucible or the shooting range. Sora couldn't find it within herself to mind; it gave her space and quiet she rarely got around them.

If she was more honest with herself, she would admit that she should've been out there with them. From a practical standpoint, the Heralds were still Guardians. You don't learn to beat Guardians by fighting Fallen or Vex. You learn to kill Guardians by killing Guardians.

But here she was, studying Cabal military tactics she had memorized years ago. She wasn't the fighter her teammates were. A high bar, admittedly. It was no boast to say Jessie and Katrina were among their clan's best fighters but she had more reason than most to be compared to them. A comparison she regularly failed.

"Aya?" Her Ghost came speeding back from where she had retreated between the aisles. "Did you ever finish downloading Toland's journal?"

"Kain passed it over last night and I've already finished reading it," she said, "A lot of it is his personal life. Eris, Ikora, Vell and the like."

"Nothing about the Heralds? The Vex? With his research, he must've seen something."

"If we wanted to focus on the Vex, Osiris would be a much better source than Toland. Or Ikora. Even Asher."

"I'm not reading Asher's chicken scratch."

Aya snorted. "Well I have," she said, "And it says nothing on this Divisive. Though Fel has already told me so. No one's ever seen them."

Sora had guessed as much. Traveler forbid they ever get that lucky. She blew out a long sigh and fell back in her chair. Movement and light to the side of her vision caught her attention. A Crucible match. _Their _Crucible match. Jessie led her side in kills with Katrina, no doubt disliking being shown up in any regard, trailed closely behind. If she had joined them like she probably should have, she'd most likely see her name at the bottom of the list. The audience watching the match certainly would have.

"Sora?" Aya calmed her back to her books. Sora, apologizing quietly, took up one of the datapads. This one had been opened to Cabal heavy machinery, things they would likely deploy against something as big as…whatever the hell crawled out of that Gate. Goliath tanks and such, though the schematics do not seem to have changed much.

"What are the odds of them deploying one of these against the King's Gate?" She held the datapad up to Aya.

Aya drew closer. "Mm, Vex structures are sturdy," she answered, "But one or two of these could possibly take it down."

"Do they want it taken down or do they want it captured?" Sora scrolled through several more images.

"Would they even know what to do with it?"

"They must know something. Otherwise, they wouldn't be going through such lengths to hide what they know." Sora put the tablet down. "All I know is that we need to find the Heart and destroy it and this is our only way to do so."

"So they can't have it either way," The Ghost finishes. "She floated over to another tablet, staring downwards, reading. "Do the others know how to take one down?"

"I doubt Daniel's team does. I know Aro's team doesn't. The rest of us have before." Sora spoke but her eyes had turned back to the screen. The match was ending and Jessie managed to remain on top of her team, which had won.

"Another match starts soon," Aya told her, "Do you want to join them?"

Sora turned away. "No. They deserve a break from always having to drag me behind them."

"Sora…"

But the Warlock waved a hand, signaling her to forget it. "Send Zavala my suggestion. If they employ these in the Valley, everyone's going to need to know how to take one down."

"Alright. I'll let you know what he says." Sora nodded. Then stretching out her hand and calling on her Light, she called the tablet her Ghost had been looking at across the table towards her. This one concerned Cabal troop movements.

"Aya, could you draw on more current movements?"

"There's nothing new that you haven't already memorized."

"The basics, maybe."

Aya funneled what she could find to the datapad. "Why the Cabal and not the Vex?"

Sora responded, "Kayla and Aashir seem to have the Vex covered. I don't want the Cabal written off as a possible problem, so I'm taking them on myself."

"Hmm…"

One of Sora's eyes swiveled towards the Ghost. "What is it?"

"There have actually been some changes." The Ghost moved towards the center of the table and from its eye, projected what looked like the inner workings of a building, with several parts marked for indication. "This is a Clovis Bray facility on Mars. Satellites and scouts have seen increased activity there from the Cabal. From…Psion Flayers."

Sora stood up from her seat and rounded the table. She recognizes the facility. One of their teams had made their way through the area years ago though she can't recall what for. Before she was a part of the clan. Before she took her team to the Temple of Crota and got them involved in this whole mess. "Mark it," she says, "I want to look at it later."

She began to run through her knowledge of Psions and the Flayers. An elite group of Psions, they're known for their incredible telepathic and telekinetic powers. She's never had the misfortune to face one but she's heard the theories about how they may have moved Phobos from its original orbit to where it was now. The only thing that kept her from believing such theories was how terrifying it would be if true.

"How long since the change in troop movements?"

Aya cycled back through older reports. "About a year now. Maybe two," she responded.

Pre-Vault. But after the Moon. What were they doing in those areas? Sora's mind raced, even as the library began to darken around her and people began to filter out. She returned to her seat and began to bring up mission logs concerning that specific Clovis Bray facility. In the meanwhile, Aya looked up more on the Flayers. A cheer from outside distracts her for a second but only a second. To her credit, she didn't look. The battlefield was where her teammates did best. Libraries and labs were for her. Where she felt the most useful.

So she would be useful.

"Tell the Commander I'd like to speak to him," she said, "Tell him it concerns the Cabal."

Sora lifted her datapad, the one Aya had transferred the Clovis Bray map to. "And possibly, the Heralds".

* * *

The door sealed and locked behind Asura as soon as he was inside. Spirit confirmed for him that Aro wasn't there. He was alone.

Asura pulled out the chair to his desk and sat down. He reached under and pulled out a box, opening it to reveal a mess of parts and pieces. All meant to create a gun.

It was practically ceremonious at this point. He took them out one by one, placing each on the table in a fashion that would seem inordinately meticulous if it were at any other time. He moved them around, straightened them out and rearranged them until both his sense and his Ghost forced him to admit that he was just wasting time.

Asura sighed. Then he sighed again. Then once more for good measure before he closed his eyes.

The expected blackness came. Then a different kind as he dropped back into his own mind. The sounds of his room became distant. The noises outside, of people walking back and forth, talking, going about their day. His world was empty and silent now, with no one but him, his Ghost and one other."

"You reacted." Asura's voice echoed out in the space of his mind, pointed towards the curled up figure on the ground before him. "Diana came up behind me and you were the only one to see that she was there."

No response, as had been the case since the Vault. A year ago now. A year that had ended a few days earlier.

Now Wrath(A) had no excuse.

"Are you afraid of her," he asked. "She can't kill us. Not really." Asura's hand clenched and he took a knee before the figure, still careful not to touch him. "But she showed herself and you reacted. Even with all our power. Even with five other Guardians around who would've ended her if she even seemed prepared to really hurt me. You know this," he said. "So why are you afraid?"

Asura's question and his attempt at understanding were, once again, met with complete, frustrating silence. His eyes opened slowly, returning to the world and the pieces organized before him. His hand, real this time instead of imagined, clenched and opened repeatedly. He wanted to believe he didn't want this gun. That it was just another after effect of Wrath(A)'s memories being forced on him.

Spirit could feel his frustration rising, his anger and annoyance. She glided towards his front, moving to catch his downward turned eyes. "We can try this again another time," she suggested and she looks over his face and through his mind for an answer, since his voice refused to give one.

In truth, he saw no point. No point in attempting to communicate with Wrath(A), no point in asking for his help with this weapon that had become a permanent and nagging fixture in his head. No point in even continuing.

His own stubbornness caused his pain. Most people would crack at the way they had their identity ripped apart and forced back together over and over. At how horrifying memories would drift through their dreams only in parts; images of brutal violence and unbearable pain and grief but with nothing to explain them, Wrath(A) had arrived cracked. Now he was shattered. There was no point in trying again.

Asura reached over and picked up the grip; a thing of hard black leather meant for a hand cannon. Hawkmoon had always been a major inspiration. He moved it to the bottom of the desk, where he imagined it would be if he ever got the chance to finish. The barrel, at his left, was moved to his right. The outer frame, to the center. The hammer, towards the back. The underrail….

Asura's hand froze on the rail and he found himself staring at it with intent. It was intent he did not know or understand. He just looked at the small piece of black plasteel and somehow, deep down, knew it felt..._wrong_.

He pulled his hand back as soon as he remembered himself. Then he touched the muzzle. Nothing. He touched the outer frame. Nothing. He touched the cylinder. Nothing. He touched the scope…._wrong_.

He was in his own mind space almost immediately. "I know this is you, Wrath(A)," he says, holding the railing between his fingers. This one was imagined and still felt wrong. "What is it? What's wrong with this?"

Not a word of answer. Asura's fingers tightened around the railing both in his head and in real life and he felt himself move closer to the figure balled up on the ground, preparing to shake him out of silence, demand an answer. Another voice is what stops him. "That isn't going to do anything," Spirit reminds him.

"Talking wasn't doing much either!"

His Ghost, in his mind's eye, looks over at Wrath(A) on the ground then back to him. "Then let's not talk."

Asura returns to the real world, finding his hands still clenched in anger and his feet hard-pressed to the ground. He begins to relax, slowly and forcibly but surely. His shoulders lower, his legs lighten and his hands begin to open. Then he moves the railing and the scope to one side of the desk, away from the other pieces.

Fine. No talking. Now, he was just going to listen.

He put his hand to the trigger and waited. Feeling nothing, he moved it to one side. He touched the hammer again, feeling nothing as before. It joined the trigger. The cylinder..._wrong_.

"Spirit?"

"Cataloging everything. I'll run through Banshee's database when we're done here."

"Any part that seems adequate, run by me," he tells her. He touched another piece and his fingers remained. He wanted to say something. Anything. Thanks, maybe. Or some slight form of apology, even as he bristled at the thought of doing so. But he decided against saying anything. He wasn't talking. He was listening.

He moved the part over.


	15. Once More Unto the Breach II

_Once More Unto the Breach II_

* * *

He was bored. He was too busy to be bored. There was too much happening for him to be bored. As if that's ever stopped anything before.

Shino's Ghost, Amir, zipped past over his head, an expert in keeping himself occupied. The sun was high, people moved back and forth outside and Shino couldn't be bothered to join them. Imagining images on the ceiling was his entertainment. He couldn't afford to be choosy.

Mira wasn't in the City. Wanted some time for herself before "work" pulled them back into the fray. The last he had heard, she was roaming around Western Europe. Prime Fallen territory. He was more concerned with the safety of the Fallen.

Christine was home. He'd be in her home too if she wasn't so busy herself, working on something she hadn't adequately explained to him. Snooping around would serve as some mode of entertainment but she knew him too well and he was becoming predictable; she banned him from her home for the time being, correctly claiming him as a distraction. And May…

They don't spend much time together anymore. Not when Mira wasn't there. If he was being honest, the only time he really saw her was in training or the Iron Banner. She wasn't one for bars, she wasn't the loud, partying type he was known to be. She didn't drink with them.

Shino sighed and began to reach under his bed. She didn't drink with _him_, he corrected. His eyes track Amir as he flies past again. He's barely been able to talk with her without it devolving into an argument. Assuming she didn't find some way to blow him off entirely. She was adamant in her defense of Aro and Shino, he didn't even like thinking about him. Thinking of Aro led to thinking about his brother. Then Marie. Then the Moon. How his throat hurt from yelling. How his eyes burned from how much he had cried that night and the morning after.

The emotions were already welling up in his throat, as painful and choking as they were the very first time he woke up in a world without his friend. The alcohol burned it all away; The grief, then the thoughts that caused the grief, then the ability to even think.

He wasn't there yet, unfortunately. "Do you ever think about it, Amir?" The Ghost paused, as if Shino could catch him off-guard. "Do you think about it? That we met Pride before anyone else?"

The Ghost slowly turned towards him. "I think more about what he was doing down there," he admitted, "Whatever we walked in on, he wanted us dead for."

Shino ripped the top off with too much force, grumbling darkly, "He got one of us." He puts the bottle to his mouth, the aroma so potent, it wrinkled his nose.

"He nearly got all of us."

Shino rips the bottle away and struggles to choke the liquid down, hacking at the fire in his throat. "No," he snapped, "He _did_ get all of us. Years of training and he got all of us as easily as he had the first time. Then he just let us go. Again."

Amir's eye runs the expanse of his face, drifting closer. "You shouldn't drink alone."

Shino already had the bottle to his mouth, pulling it back and coughing again. "You're here."

He sighed, "You know what I mean." His eye suddenly shoots up, as if surprised. Then it lowers and he moves closer. "Put away the drink."

Shino had his arm over his eyes. The noonday sun was starting to glare. "Baby someone else, Amir."

"Your uncle is calling."

Shino lifted his arm enough to reveal one open eye. He gave a thin smile. "Don't know why that requires me to stop drinking-"

"Cause I am not translating your slurring again," the less than amused Ghost shot back. Shino chuckled then sighed, sitting himself upright and capping the drink.

"Video call?" He asked, rolling the bottle underneath the bed.

"Audio only. Patching him through."

Seconds passed before another voice replaced Amir's. "_So he deigned to answer,_" it crowed. Shino could almost see the grin on his uncle's face, heard it perfectly in his words. Happier to speak to him than most people are as of late. Happier than he will be tomorrow if the drink had anything to say about it.

"I am a very busy man, uncle," Shino greeted, sinking deeper into the mattress

"Fame keeping you occupied?"

"Autographs to sign, a few fans to let fawn over me."

"_In a bedroom?"_ He asked, "_Behind a closed door?"_ His uncle clicked his teeth in disapproval. "_And here I thought you were better than this. Will be a shame when Christine finds out."_

"Alright, alright, you win." His uncle laughed. "How did you know I was in my room?"

"_Your Ghost told me_."

"So you cheated."

"_Just a bit." _He chuckled again, "_How are you, Shino?_"

"Bored, if I'm being honest," he admitted.

"_Don't you have a team? Where's Mira?_"

"Europe."

"_The Warlock? May?_"

"Err, well, busy. Research and all that." Her avoidance of him wasn't something he was ready to admit to.

"_And the rest of your clan?"_ He asked.

Shino shrugged limply for an audience that wasn't watching. "Equally busy." Again, all he was willing to admit.

His uncle hummed. "_Well, you've always got a place here, if you want it._"

"Thanks, uncle."

"_Have you visited your mothers?_"

"Not too recently but I call." Shino swung legs over the bed. "Hey, um, you said I could come over?"

"_I did."_

He stood. "And...Uncle Dev's off, right?"

"_His only day off_," his uncle answered. "_I smell shenanigans._"

Shino already had a pair of pants on. "Tell him I'm coming, if you like. He can flee. I'd track him down either way."

"_You stop that. Devrim will be happy to see_-'

"Tell him, uncle." Amir ducked away when Shino's arm flew out from the opening of a shirt. "Make it a threat if you like."

The other line erupted in laughter. "_Alright. It'd admittedly be fun to see. Ride safe, Shino_."

The line cut**. **Amir's gaze followed him as he stepped around. "Do you want me to send a message to the others that you're heading-"

"Don't bother." Shino pulled the white hair covering his eyes back and tied it. Satisfied, he opened the door and strode out. His gait wasn't as unsteady as it would've been in earlier days. At the same time, things were becoming harder and harder to forget. Where drink didn't serve, a distraction could. And he needed it. He couldn't be alone with his thoughts right now.

"That coffee shop downstairs, near the entrance." Shino weaved his way through the sparse crowds. Amir kept over his shoulder. "They still have that tea Dev likes?"

"Last I heard."

Shino rounded a corner and was met with sunlight. Gentle for the most part but harsh to his eyes, having spent so long in the darkness of his own room. The Speaker's tower within the Tower blocked out most of it and Shino quickly moved into its shadow so he could see.

Amir promptly disappeared. "_Shino. To your right._"

His head turned until his Ghost made him stop. Then he took a breath. "Aro." He looked closer. "With Hideo?"

They were in a corner overlooking the western wall and the City below. Eating and talking. At least Hideo was. Aro wasn't a talker.

Erek told him what Pride had said the very first time they met him in the Vault. To Aro. About Aro.

"_You do not get to blame that all on me. The rage, the loss of control, the violence. My presence may be bringing it out of you but all of that is you, Aro. It was you. It was you. It's how you always were when we were young. Blunt at best, brutal at worst."_

"_This...new...supposedly kinder you, it's unfamiliar. Almost jarring."_

Aro was timid. He was quiet, reserved. He hunched over, never standing at his true height. It took life and death situations to get him to even raise his voice, let alone yell, rant, scream. That was the Aro he knew. The Aro he's always known.

Pride's brother was hard and cruel. Pride's brother brought about the worst calamity their people had ever faced and didn't even have the grace to remember. If only Shino was so lucky.

He had dreams about Pride for years. He never saw the face, nor the eyes. It didn't matter, that wasn't what made Shino so afraid the first time. It wasn't how he recognized him the second time. It was the pressure he exuded. All the Heralds did, like a hand around the back of your neck. Pride was more than that. He wasn't a hand, he was a boot; not around the back of your neck. The front, along the windpipe, pressing down. Aro never felt like that.

Until he did, if Erek or Daniel were to be believed. When he first went into that berserker state that had him raving and roaring incoherently like some kind of monster. Breathing blasts of fire hard enough to blow away stone and creating Void Light singularities strong enough to rend metal. The only comfort Shino took was that he was mindless. Don't set him off and you'd be fine. If not, stay out of his way and you'd be fine.

But he was in the room when Cayde and Ikora were reviewing Ghost footage from the Reef's Prison of Elders. A training regimen the Queen had put Aro's and Daniel's teams through. How Aro stood tall and square before the charred remains of a towering Vex Minotaur, eyes shining white with a roiling ocean of unbridled, barely contained power…

And smiled.

That was no monster. There was a man in there, conscious, in control and relishing in the destruction he could unleash on a whim. Rage and violence. Blunt and brutal. That was Pride's brother. That was Aro. And it wasn't Shino's fault if the others refused to see it. Who else needed to die before they did?

Hideo stood and took Aro's hand, departing the table with a firm shake and a smile. Aro watched him leave before turning in Shino's direction.

Their eyes connected for the briefest of seconds. Shino didn't let it last any longer. He simply turned his back on him and continued on his way.

* * *

Z's typing fingers stopped. "Could you not do that?"

"Do what?"

"That," he said more forcefully, gesturing at Crona's face.

Her eyes swiveled side to side. "Do what?!"

"That! Staring at me!" Crona scoffed but turned her gaze elsewhere. After taking in the sights of her brother's office, as she had a hundred times before, she turned her eyes back to him. He scowled deeper now, aware she was doing it on purpose.

"You never really explained what you were so busy working on."

His eyes came up once again, narrowed this time. "Are you serious?" He asked, incredulous.

"...Should I not-"

Z struck a few keys on the board before him and gestured behind her. Crona turned at the sound of a screen on the wall turning on. The video was a recording, taking place outside in the dead of night. The sound was turned low and the sight of a roiling crowd told her why. People shouting, chanting, holding signs, struggling against the assigned security attempting to keep them in place.

"People are protesting the murder again?" She asked.

"Did you really think they stopped?" Her brother shut the screen off, leaning back and rubbing his eyes, his bright white hair beginning to spill into his face. "The Exo's name was Colm. Colm-14. Well-liked in his community, by his neighbors. All in all, a good man. It's why his death is causing such a stir. If this isn't the last straw, we're approaching it."

Crona hummed, turning to look at the screen again, as if she could still see the protests despite it being off. She never imagined the scale of the problem. she supposed she should, given what Wrath(A) did because of it. "Did authorities get a motive?"

"Drunkenness."

"He tore that man to pieces."

"_Excessive_ drunkenness," Z sighed, "And there are people who accept that."

Crona looked him over, taking in the tight lines on his face. "Z," she said.

"What?" He didn't even look up.

"Z."

"The fuck do you want, Crona?!" Her eyebrows shot up and he looked down again, murmuring a quick apology.

"I was going to ask when was the last time you took a break but I don't think I need to ask. You never curse."

He opened his mouth and then closed it again with a sigh. "I mean, even father lets one out every now and again," Crona went on, her lips curling upwards, "Never in front of Cayde though. He'd never let him or Ikora hear the end of it."

"Not in front of you either," Z said, giving the first smile she had seen from him in a day, "Never in front of his little girl."

She laughed at that, leaning back in her seat far enough that it began to tip. "Oh, the first time it happened. You should have seen the shade of purple he turned." She wagged a finger at him. "Reminded me of the time you were brought your 'study partner' home and he walked in-"

"We don't talk about that, Crona."

"_You_ don't."

"That's not funny," he said, even as his grin widened.

"...To you." Crona picked up one of the loose sheets of paper on his desk. "Have you spoken to Saladin yet?"

"No, I haven't."

She gave him a look. "He's been here for weeks."

"I know that." His fingers started moving again, hitting their targets with impressive accuracy even as his eyes were on another datapad, one of many strewn across the large work desk. "I've welcomed him and all but I'm busy, he's busy-"

"He mostly just stands there, refereeing matches."

"And we have nothing to talk about." His left hand moved over to the keyboard as his right hand swiped away a current page and brought up another. His fingers paused for just a second. "I'm not a Guardian, Crona."

Crona sucked her teeth. "That doesn't matter, Z."

"So you say." He was no longer paying attention. His mind had returned to Colm and the protests and the rest of the Consensus and their own issues. It annoyed her, in all honesty. If only most of these people knew what was out there, what was coming for them and how woefully unprepared they were for its arrival.

"What has father told you? About what we're dealing with now?" Crona began to fiddle with the paper in her hands, not entirely aware of when she had balled it up.

"That it's called the Black Garden," he answered, "That Pride wants it. And that some parties of the Consensus are taking note of your increasing activities."

Her head shot up. "He never told us that."

"That's because I'm telling you, Crona. Right now." A flick of his hand closed another page on his dashboard. A second one brought up three more. "You've spoken to Lakshmi?"

She wasn't going to ask how he found that out. "Father and I are working on a project. Rebuilding a weapon. She has one of the key parts."

"Has she given it to you?" Z asked.

Crona shook her head. "We haven't gotten that far yet," she admitted, "She mentioned talking later but no time, no date. And I haven't heard from her since."

His bright blue eyes rolled almost into his head. "She wants something. That much should be obvious," he told her.

"Never thought otherwise."

"Be careful what you give her. Be careful what you tell her." His fingers stopped moving. One hand came up to his mouth, his eyes squeezing shut. "Look. Not all of these people are so concerned with their own ambitions, disregarding everything else; I try to be proof of that. But too many still are."

"They know who my father is. They know who _you_ are. What could they try?"

"You'd be a target, Crona," he said, "But not their only one. There's Aro. There's Asura."

Crona let a long stream of air out of her nose. "So watch them?"

"And yourself. But they haven't lived in this City long. Not as long as you."

"Pfft. Babysitting."

"It's not 'babysitting'. It's looking out for your team." He leaned back in his seat and gave her a grin, bright and toothy. "'Babysitting' is what _I'm_ doing now." Z flinched when she lobbed the balled up paper at his head. "Look at that, I'm cleaning up after you-"

"I'm leaving." She stood.

"Dealing with your tantrums…"

"I'm cleaning out your fridge," she yelled from the doorway.

"Feeding you too!"

Crona hit the light switch on the way out, leaving him crowing indignantly in the dark.

* * *

"_Is this really the best idea?"_ Kain directed him to the location given, Aro's directions changing with his instructions.

"_You ask that a lot, you know that right?" _

"_You don't do smart things very often._"

Aro physically opened his mouth to respond when he saw a man rise from his seat and wave him down. "_I'll respond after we're done here._"

"_Is that how much time you need?" _

Aro had to squint in the sudden sunlight but still had his hand outstretched. Executor Hideo took it in both of his, in a grip that was firm and disarmingly gentle. "Lord Aro, very good to see you again. Glad you can make it." He took his hands back and gestured to the table behind him, "Please sit. Make yourself comfortable."

Aro did, rounding the well decorated, overall well-prepared table and pulling out a seat. Hideo had chosen nicely, well within view of the City below and with a good amount of sunlight with the Speaker's tower to block out most of the wind; a tower devoid of the Speaker, Aro had noted.

"I take it I picked a good place?" Hideo pulled his attention back. Any feeling that he should apologize for letting his mind wander away was disarmed with the easy smile he was being given.

"You did. It's nice." Someone came up from behind him and placed a chilled glass before him, filling it with water.

"You don't spend much time here?" Hideo nodded his thanks to the server when he received his own.

"No. I'm usually only in this wing to see the Speaker."

Hideo hummed and looked out over the City. Without the hat obscuring his head and the formal clothing, Aro could just almost see the family resemblance. The same dark hair, dark eyes and small nose Daniel and his siblings shared with their father. Not something one would take note of without prior knowledge. But there was a reason none of them spoke of Hideo. That reason was anyone's guess. As well as when and how Aro would discover it.

"What about out there?" Hideo, reclining in the chair with one leg crossed over the other, nodded towards the expanse of the City.

Aro watched with him. "No," he admitted, "But I wish I did."

"As you should." Hideo took a sip from his glass and placed it down again. "It's always better to know the people you serve. And to let them know you."

Aro resisted the urge to shift around at the second part. "Saint-14 did it as much as he could. He'd walk the streets, visit vendors and shops and parks. Every child's game that needed a referee, any elderly struggling with their groceries, every person who looked as if they could use the company, Saint was ready and willing to give it."

"Crona's told me a lot about him," Aro said, "The Speaker too."

"But on the other hand, Osiris?" Hideo shook his head with pursed lips, "A notorious recluse. We would go months at a time without hearing or seeing hide nor hair of him, civilians and Guardians alike. Though I suppose after that mess with the Vault and with Pahanin and Kabr, it would be hard to come back from. I don't blame him for never doing so."

He sent just the two of them into a Vex stronghold, Aro recalled. At least, that was the story. The story that inspired the mandate of three to a fireteam at all times. Aro knew differently now.

Hideo brought up his hand, intended for someone behind Aro. Before Aro could turn again, an Awoken woman was setting down a large tray with two steaming plates of food before them along with a collection of utensils, napkins and filling up their glasses before she bade them enjoy and leaving.

Hideo wasted no time digging in. "Can I ask you something, Aro?"

Aro's flicked up from the food. "I'll try my best to answer."

"It's about the Vault."

"Ah…"

"Kabr never returned," Hideo explained, "Pahanin did. And whatever he saw in there...broke him. He was never the same."

"I don't blame him," Aro replied, just a bit too much on the side of quiet.

"You and your team went inside, got through and made it out the other end. With Kabr's dead Ghost in hand, no less. If you're willing, I'd like to know what you saw."

A mess. That was what he wanted to answer whenever anyone asked. A damned, ugly mess of such terrifying ingenuity, it could've easily been something out of a bad dream. "The Vex...they're as advanced as they seem. Even more so, if I'm being honest." He wasn't but there were a lot of people outside of their circle who simply did not need to know.

"Any examples?" Hideo pressed. Aro guessed that he knew Aro was hiding things.

Aro sighed and sank into his seat. "There were these creatures. Vex Harpies that wandered a large expanse of land-"

"There's land in there?" Hideo sat up straighter, much more alert and focused.

"A lot of land. Caverns, caves, hills. The Vault moves its space outside the bounds of conventional time and space," Aro explained, "At one point in our journey, our Ghosts examined the light that was streaming in from the outside. They came to the conclusion that the emission patterns were different from the ones we know."

"A different star?"

"Maybe. Or our own billions of years before humanity even existed. There was no real way to tell."

Hideo's tongue darted out to wet his lips. "Huh." He huffed a small laugh, "That's something else, Aro. And these Harpies?"

"They wandered this area, seemingly in a pattern. The area had stone spires stretching several hundred feet high and similar ones hanging off the ceiling. One of those spires broke off and fell towards one of the Harpies."

"And it blasted it out of the sky?" Hideo guessed, "Or did it hit and not even faze the thing?"

Aro took in a deep breath. He could feel the same fear he had felt the first time he witnessed what they could do. "It looked up at the rock, it's eye flashed…" Aro's hands were spread out, as if he could show what happened. "And the rock disappeared."

Hideo blinked. "Vaporization? Some kind of spatial manipulation?"

"Not spatial, Executor. Temporal." Hideo blinked a few times before realization began to dawn in his features. "It looked at the thing and simply decided that it didn't exist," Aro said, "We called them Gorgons. And we had to make it through their maze without catching their attention."

"How did you?"

"We didn't. The process takes a long time though and hitting them hard enough stops it entirely. But we had to collapse the entire cavern on their heads before any of them could complete the attempt. We barely escaped with our lives."

"I see." Hideo ran a hand over his stubbled chin. "And could they deploy these against the City?"

"Not anymore," Aro answered before realizing what he had said. Hideo let out a soft bark of laughter. "But no. Outside of the Vault, they have little influence."

"Less now, after how you handled them." Hideo smiled and when Aro felt the urge to smile back, he didn't fight it. "I've seen your fights in the Crucible. It's amazing how much power you can dish out. I've even heard rumors you can breathe fire."

Aro chuckled. "There's some truth to it. I try not to do it often, it's pretty painful."

"Seems a bit difficult with a helmet on." He shrugged, "But I guess Kain can take it off."

"He tries but I've had to blow it off before." Aro pointed to his ears. "The rebound never feels good. Torn an eardrum at least twice now."

The Executor laughed loudly. "This has been enlightening, Aro. And entertaining. Truly." Hideo rose to his feet. Aro moved to follow but a gesture stopped him. "Please, finish. Everything's paid for and I've kept you occupied enough with the story. Again, I thank you for the time. Hopefully, we can do it again?"

Aro put his hand out and Hideo again took it in both of his. "I look forward to it, Executor."

"Hideo, please. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Aro."

Hideo waved down the server and with one more short bow, was on his way. His half of the table was cleaned within seconds, leaving Aro alone again. "_Not as bad as you thought it would be, Kain_," Aro thought out.

"_He is very obviously buttering you up." _

"_By…"_ He looked down at the plate of food before him. "_Buying me food? Talking to me like a person? Not staring at me like I'm some kind of monster?_ _Whose fault is it that the bar's so low?_"

"_Not everyone treats you like that."_ Kain materialized over his shoulder and flew forward to face him.

Aro spoke aloud. "Enough people do."

A figure in the corner of his vision caught his attention. His eyes flicked over once before doubling back. By the time he had, the familiar tall and imposing frame and tied-back white hair had already turned away, quickly disappearing down the hall. Aro's hand began to curl until it was tightened into a fist, his eyes, wide and unblinking, remained locked in Shino's direction.

"You ever think of that comeback?"

Aro's eyes flicked over, fully aware of what Kain was trying to do. Slowly, his hand loosened. His shoulders lowered and every indescribable emotion building up inside gently escaped in the air through his nose.

"Give me the night. I'll think of something."

* * *

_Eh, not too happy with this one. But if I waited till I felt it was perfect, you'd never hear from me again. _


	16. Once More Unto the Breach III

_Once More Unto the Breach III_

* * *

Tomorrow. They were to leave tomorrow. Morning, as to not draw too much attention.

Daniel was at home, as he always was before embarking on any mission so…"important" felt wrong. "Dangerous" felt like an understatement. Kayla was at the Tower. Erek was elsewhere. Maybe the Crucible, maybe the Tower, most likely the cemetery, as he always did before missions such as this. They all had their rituals. Daniel was always here, after all, just rarely without them. Or without…

"Maya!" Caesar suddenly calls out, interrupting his thoughts. His sister's hesitant reply came a few seconds later. "No Light inside the house...thank you."

Daniel hummed in amusement. "She likes to practice."

"Especially when she shouldn't," his Ghost says, "AJ should be watching her but he seems to have developed a habit of being her enabler rather than her voice of reason."

"Sounds familiar…"

"In what way?"

"Headbutting a Minotaur through the chest?"

The Ghost turned on him, offense in the brightness of his eye. "That is not even remotely-"

"Caesar. Yes, it is."

Caesar sniffed, turning away. "Well, no one made you do it."

Daniel's grin drops slightly when he picks up his father's watch. With a sigh, he tosses it into his bag, not wanting to risk leaving it behind. "What are the others up to? Packing?"

"Sixx says Kayla's in the labs. Erek's in the Crucible. Presumably until Shaxx kicks him out again."

While he speaks, Daniel steps over to the small desk in his room near the window. His fingers ghost over the leather of the old journal sitting alone at the center of it. "And Aro?"

"Tower."

"Doing?"

"Not sure." Caesar glides to hang over his shoulder. "Kain's been cutting off contact after a certain time, without Aro's knowledge or prompting. Can't say I blame him."

"Could you give him the time we plan to leave tomorrow?" Daniels asked, lifting the journal.

"He has it." Caesar pauses to let his eye rove over his lowered expression, then adds, "And he'll be there to see you off."

Daniel gives no response but a hum. He seals the bag and tosses it off his bed and into a corner, where he's likely to see it as he's leaving. He steps out of his room, intent on seeing what everyone else was up to and, if he was lucky, find some way to distract himself from the dark turn his thoughts were taking.

Maya, he didn't bother with. There was no need to look in on her, so as he passed by, Daniel knocked on the door, hard and sudden. He smiles when he hears the surprised springing of the bed, the sound of someone in it being startled out of her skin.

"Yes?" She again answers haltingly.

"Never mind!" Daniel responds, grinning wider when he hears here quietly suck her teeth. He starts walking again but barely makes it halfway down the hall before twisting around and padding back to her door as quietly as he could manage for someone his size to slam his fist against it again. This time, she starts so hard, he can hear her tumble out of the bed to the floor. By the time she rights herself and rips the door open to confront him, he's halfway down the hall again.

A short turn of the corner puts him before the closed door of Tarlowe's office. Finding it locked, Daniel opens the hand reaching for the door and lets Caesar out to work on breaking it; they were old hat at this by now.

"What's the holdup?" he murmurs after a few minutes. It didn't always take this long.

"Sorry, just...a sec…" The Ghost tries for a few seconds more then stops and draws back. The light of the door had turned red. "Well, that's new."

"Really, Tarlowe?!" Daniel says loudly.

The response was immediate. "You'll learn one way or another."

The lock disengages and the door slides open. Tarlowe was at his usual place, three screens floating in the air before his eyes and his fingers running over the keyboard on his desk. "Maybe I'll make the next one explode."

"What if I lose a finger? Or an arm?"

"Walk it off."

Daniel chuckles and steps through the open path. "You lock the door a lot, you know that?"

"I like my privacy." His eyes flick away from the computer to meet his but only for a second. The fingers never stop or lose their stride. "And my quiet."

"One would start to wonder what you'd need all that privacy and quiet for.."

Tarlowe wasn't having it. "I'm not doing this with you."

"And you caught on to my point so quickly. What does that say?" The glower Daniel's older brother affixed him with would've been intimidating if Daniel were capable of taking him seriously. Instead, he made his way over to one of the ornate, wooden cabinets lining the wall. "What are you working on anyway?" He turned back to Tarlowe, who had already thrown himself back into his project. From where he was standing, Daniel could see images on the screens of things that didn't look as if they belonged in weapons. A mess of servos, strange, flat interfaces and other things that would usually have him bothering Aro or Kayla for an explanation.

"Stuff."

"Just stuff?"

"Just stuff," Tarlowe repeated. He knocked one of the screens away. "Occasionally, I switch gears and start working on some 'things' as well.

"Fuck off," Daniel muttered, knowing he had been heard. He turned back to the wooden cabinets. Picking up a small plaque, off in the corner and covered in a thin but obscuring layer of dust. He wipes off just enough to learn the owner. Daniel sees the name of his father and immediately places it back down again. "From where I'm standing," he says, "It doesn't look much like new weapons."

"It isn't."

"Haven't you been at odds with members of the foundry?" Daniel gestured to the screen, "How could this be helping?"

"It won't help," There was an edge growing in his voice. He's had this conversation, or better yet, this argument before. "It still needs to be done."

Tarlowe's eyes shift away from Daniel to the open door. "Christine," he calls out, stopping her on her way past. "The books you requested, have they come in?"

Still off to the side, Daniel could not see her until she leaned slightly into the doorway. She perched against the frame, her hands busy tying the black hair that stretched nearly half the length of her back out of her eyes. Their mother's pendant was where it always was, hanging around her neck. She was always much better at remembering to keep it on her, even after Daniel starting actually trying to do the same. Their mother's ring was in the same place around Tarlowe's and it made him remember her bracelet with Maya. The fact that Daniel himself was the only one without some kind of memento of the mother they lost when he was so young made his chest tighten just a bit. Maybe he'd take something with him from the house, he decided. Just to keep.

"Kayla sent them over this morning," Christine answered. She sounded tired. She didn't look it, she never looked it but anyone familiar enough with the normal tones and inflections of her voice would've been able to tell. Less energy, less variation, more monotone and deeper. It was hard to blame her, given the amount of studying and working she'd been doing the past few weeks though Daniel suspected she had slowed down some, just to spend time with him before he left for the Reef. She still managed a small smile for him, just as she always did.

Another screen blinked into view in front of Tarlowe. "What kinds?"

"Anatomy, neurology for the most part. It's the topic I need the most help on. Kayla also told me that Sora was the one who recommended them, so she's sure they'll be useful."

"Wait, you're working on this...thing too?" Daniel steps away from the cabinet and starts approaching her.

"Yes?"

"So then will you tell me what it is?"

"No?" The twist of her face showed her amusement, as if the thought of doing so was so ridiculous, she found it funny he thought it worth asking. Then the look turned to exasperation. "Don't give me that look, Daniel, you're far too old."

Daniel opened his mouth, preparing to defend himself or demand an explanation as to why but Tarlowe cut him off from the other side of the room. "Danny, do you mind? The adults need to talk."

Daniel turned on him then back to Christine, who just shrugged and stepped out of the doorway to let him through.

"Thanks, Danny!" Tarlowe crowed.

"Don't call me, Danny."

"Love you, little brother!" He called again. Daniel loudly elbows the wall, no doubt rocking the things on the other side of it. He earns another laugh for his trouble. The door seals shut, leaving him in silence once again.

Caesar appeared before him. "Can't believe how different Tarlowe seems," he says, moving beside Daniel as he made his way to the stairs. "Especially from when I first met him. He was always so angry. You two would fight all the time, go weeks without speaking to each other."

"Lot's happened since then," Daniel replies, "We've both had to grow up. And quicker than we would've liked."

Nearly losing him demanded it. Christine had covered Maya's eyes when it had happened and refused to uncover them until she had been removed from the scene. Tarlowe on the ground, his life's blood spreading in a puddle around his unmoving body. Christine saw it, he saw it and they remembered, regardless of how little they wanted to.

Daniel's early life was defined by pillars; ones he thought towering, all-powerful and everlasting. Growing up was watching those pillars fall. His mother, his father, his uncle, Eris and Toland. Then one more very nearly did. Given this way of thinking, he couldn't imagine how Maya felt. She'd never gotten to meet their mother. She barely remembered her father or uncle.

He couldn't imagine how she _would_ feel, given how, in some far away time, all of their names would be added to that list. She'd be a woman almost alone in the world, fighting a losing war against the monster that had enslaved her people. A monster she never would've met if he had never brought him into her home.

Daniel is distracted when Maya sprints past him for the kitchen, just a flash of black hair trailing her, no doubt using her Light to bolster her speed. He enters and makes his way over to the kitchen sink just in time to see her rip open the fridge, grab a bottle and kick it shut with enough force to shake it. She begins her run out of the kitchen and back up the stairs but pauses just as she gets behind him. Before he can turn to face her though, her foot shoots out, catching Daniel in the back of his knee.

The Titan buckles and claws for her as he does but the little Warlock is already off, her cackling echoing off the giant walls of their house. Daniel is up and giving chase within a second, her laughter turning to shrieks. Maya jumps forward and glides toward the wall. As soon as she makes contact, she kicks off it, propelling her even higher into the air and dropping her safely on the second floor.

They both turn at the sound of a door opening. "Who's screaming?" Christine called out.

Maya is responding before he can. "Danny tripped and fell!"

"No, I-"

"Daniel, are you alright?"

"But I didn't-"

"Tell Danny to be more careful!" They hear Tarlowe yell out.

"STOP CALLING ME-"

"He also said to tell you that he was starting on dinner," Maya said, never breaking eye contact as she cracked open the bottle. He was being ganged upon. "Said not to worry about it tonight."

On instinct and habit, Daniel opened his mouth to speak up. But Christine was already thanking him. Tarlowe was proclaiming loudly to have already lost his appetite and Maya, satisfied with herself, waved her fingers at him as she started for her room.

Her slow walk became a hard and panicked dash when Daniel suddenly launched himself upwards, latching onto the railing that overlooked the first floor and making as if he was about to cross it and finish hunting her down. She was out of sight within a moment, diving nearly headfirst back into her bedroom.

Daniel glared at the spot she had escaped to for as long as the facade could hold. Then he broke and devolved into quiet laughter. He let himself drop from the railing, back down to the first floor and made his way to the kitchen to uphold the promise he never made.

* * *

The core tumbled from Kayla's fingers, clattering to the table and it was taking what little self-control she could manage to not crush it with the Void.

She was angry at herself mostly. This core was a more recent one, collected by another team not part of their clan. She thought, she hoped, that maybe if the unit hadn't been dead as long, it would still be somewhat viable. But dead cores were dead, useless. She just couldn't bring herself to accept it.

"Maybe if we went to Venus or Mars," Sixx suggested, "A unit we kill ourselves…"

"No. I'm _sick_ of doing this," she said, falling back in her chair and pushing her palms into her eyes. "It isn't working. And I know what would but.."

"It would be a very bad idea," the Ghost finished.

"I'm sick of doing this," she says again, flicking the core and sending the thing sliding away.

Sixx catches it before it could fall. "Rasputin could help you, I'm sure of it but you still can't make contact, can you?"

She couldn't. The AI spoke but his talking is quiet, jilted and broken. She couldn't even understand him anymore. Envy was involved in it, she was sure, disrupting their bond, halting his attempts to talk to her and possibly pulling information out of him. Info they could use against the Guardians.

It was smart, from a tactical standpoint because there was precedent for it. Rasputin led the Vanguard to the Devils' Prime Servitor. He had them send over Aro, Crona and Asura, Guardians greener than any should've been for a job like that. They would not have survived the fight. Not without some kind of interference. And in their attempt to keep the Gate safe, the Heralds were forced to reveal themselves. Just as the Warmind had planned. Now Aro knew of their existence. Now the Vanguard knew. The people best equipped to end their threat now knew and could prepare.

So they muzzled the Warmind, a feat Kayla never thought capable for one as terrifyingly powerful as Rasputin was reputed to be. But the fact that he still so clearly tried to reach out to her scared Kayla. If he was so willing to fight such a losing battle, what did the Heralds have in store for them?"

Rasputin discovered the Heralds long before the Vanguard," she said, "And he seemed to know enough about them to purposely manipulate them into revealing themselves."

"To this day, I still wonder if they knew."

"Not sure it mattered. If they didn't interfere, Aro would die and everything they planned would fail before it could begin." Kayla leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table and her chin atop her hands. "He still has his connection to Envy, even after her own connection to the Traveler had been severed and he took advantage of that. Studied the Heralds through her eyes."

"Recruiting her was Pride's mistake," Sixx said, taking the core and placing it back into storage.

But now Envy can use that connection to do to him what she's doing now." A leash can be pulled...or yanked, from either end.

Ikora's spoken to her about Eriana-3. Not very often, understandably. But whenever she did, she spoke of a woman who was driven but collected. Full of energy and vitality that was covered in a layer of calmness. Like the sunfire she wielded, she was never very bright and flashy. Just a constant presence.

Once, Kayla had asked about her fall. How someone like that could fall so deep into Darkness.

"Between me, The Speaker, Zavala, Cayde and even Shaxx, we've asked that question well over a hundred times. For all of them," she had answered, "None of it makes any sort of sense."

"All of them? Even Dredgen Yor?" And at this, Ikora would grow so quiet.

"That isn't his name, you know," she told her, "It's the one he took on after rejecting the Light and forsaking humanity. Dredgen Yor was the name we put out and we never told anyone otherwise." Her eyes had been on her book but her gaze was years in the past. "I knew…" Ikora stopped and then sighed, muttering to herself, "I guess it doesn't matter what or who I knew. But he was a good man once, I assure you of that. As were Vell and Andal. As were Kabr and even Toland. As was Eriana. Grief can make monsters out of anyone, this much is true but even I thought Eriana was different."

_Grief_. Kayla spoke up, "Sixx, start combing the Tower archives, public and private. Find anything you can related to Eriana-3."

"Anything I should focus on?"

"No. Every little mention." It was long overdue. The first time they had met, Envy called her sister. Kayla hadn't had the time to think of it then but after the Vault, it sent question after question racing through her head. Sometimes, she even wondered if there were others like them. Branches of Rasputin made into Exos and sent out into the world were a possibility but how many were _really_ like them? Killed during the Collapse, found by Ghosts and made into Guardians.

Either way, her concern now was this one. It was time she learned more. "Download and save, Sixx." Kayla gets to her feet. "We'll need it at the Reef."

She's barely able to push away from the table before she hears the entrance slide open. Kayla turns and doesn't bother to keep the surprise out of her voice. "Aashir?"

"Are you busy?" The towering, red and white Exo invites himself inside anyway and closes the door behind him. She hears the telltale hiss of the lock engaging. "There's something important we need to discuss."

* * *

Erek rose slowly out of the pilot's chair, rubbing his eyes as soon as his helmet was off. His last match before he left for the Reef. By Shaxx's order, of course. Even if he was exhausted, Erek doubted he would've stopped willingly. More than physically but too much so to care anymore. At this point, he just kept going, regardless of how he felt. He wasn't sure what else to do.

Amanda wasn't there to greet him as he stepped out, her attention taken up by something on the other side of the Hangar. Didn't matter, she would get to his ship before the day's end. In truth, he was glad for it. He didn't feel like talking.

Slowly, Erek made his way back to his quarters. He crossed the Tower plaza, emptying out at the end of the day as civilians returned to their homes and Guardians made their way into the lower levels. Under the Traveler, the City was beginning to brighten for the night. He assumed this, at least. Erek spared neither a look. His hands remained shoved in his pockets and his head remained down, his eyes on his feet.

Eren unlocked the door and it slid open for them to enter. She didn't bother closing it. Erek stepped over to the table at the center of his quarters and wrapped a hand around the stems of flowers. Red roses that had been sitting in cold water in a vase borrowed from Ikora, bought from the same flower shop he had always visited. He no longer cared that the owners, two Awoken men from the Reef, knew who he was but was glad they respected him enough to not go around announcing it. At least the former soldier of the pair had stopped bowing.

The door closes and seals when he leaves the dark of his room and steps back out into the light of the hall. Erek makes his way through the moving crowds and onto an elevator that takes him to the ground floor. He gave no indication to his Ghost to call down his Sparrow. The distance was a long one but he always preferred to walk rather than deal with traffic.

So walk he did. Before, he'd take his time, stopping and looking into various shops and talking to people along his way. He's even been pulled into a number of games in his time; children needing a referee or someone to even the odds just a bit.

Tonight, he'd still take his time but not to watch the stars, the transports flying past or the Traveler looming overhead. His eyes would stay forward and down, on his shoes, on the pavement. He looked at no one. He acknowledged no one. Regardless, many gave him a rather wide berth. What he was feeling must have been rolling off of him in waves. His Ghost has had to warn him multiple times that his Light was beginning to spill over onto the surface and that he should contain himself before he burns something. He wondered if this was how Aro felt all the time.

The cemetery was soon enough in sight. Eren materialized over his shoulder as soon as they reached her namesake's grave. Switching the flowers over from his left to his right, Erek slowly moved down to one knee, clasping the edge of the stone and digging his fingers in until it hurt. It was so cold. Eren had been the farthest thing in the world from cold.

Erek placed the flowers down and dropped to a sitting position. For how long he remained that way, he didn't know. What he spent the entire time thinking about as he stared at the engraving of her name, he didn't know; the first time they met, the secret meetings that followed, when they made the decision to leave together. The last time he had her on his chest, snoring as she swore she never did and drooling just slightly. The last time he got to hold her at all. As the cold winds blew, as the moon rose into the air, as the sounds of the city quieted, Erek remained as still as the stone he faced.

He'd take her with him, if he could. Take her home. She didn't deserve to be in the same place as her killer. Not the same planet, not the same system, not even the same plane of reality. He would take her to the Dreaming City. See her laid to rest among her people, not strangers in a land she never had the time to know.

"Erek." The Ghost drew his eyes to the horizon. Erek let the air slip through his nose as he saw the first glimmer of light crossing the horizon.

They were to leave early morning. He was to go back to the Reef and face his family again. He was to find a way into the Black Garden and face Eren's killer again. He dreaded one. The other left him buzzing again, an itch he tried and failed to scratch in the Crucible. "Catharsis", he had called it.

He was done with all that. There was no catharsis to be had, no resolution, no closure. Not while the man who took everything away from him still walked. Still breathed a breath that wasn't full of the pain he so thoroughly deserved.

Erek went back up to his knee, bent down and pressed his lips to the grave. When he pulled back and took in the sight of her name, his lips began to curl and it took all he had to not let everything he was holding back spill out. His hands were shaking. Beneath his fingers, the stone began to warm.

Erek clamped it back down, sealing his Light away once again. He rose to his full height, his eyes still on the grave before turning on his heels and beginning the long, silent walk back.


End file.
